Frosted Chocolate
by Cold 105
Summary: What if Elsa had allowed Anna to marry Hans instead of revealing her powers on the day of her coronation?
1. Prologue: Marry a man you just met

Elsa walked towards the door, concentrating on keeping her royal poise.

"What did I ever do to you?" cried Anna.

"Enough, Anna" launched Elsa over her shoulder. That was a mistake, it gave her a glimpse of her sister, gesticulating with her glove in her hand.

"No, why? Why do you shut me out?" shouted Anna.

Elsa hurried to the door, trying not to hear her sister, not to her words touch her, not to feel the hurt in her voice. _Conceal, don't feel._

"Why do you shut the world out?"

She felt sorrow and anger fight inside her. It was unfair. She should not be called out on doing her best to protect people, to protect Anna, at the price of her loneliness. The door was close. Only a few steps, now. _Conceal, don't feel._

"What are you so afraid of?"

This was too much. She felt the wave of anger sweep over her. _I'm afraid of hurting you! Can't you understand that?_ She opened her mouth to shout, turning around to silence her sister with a gesture.

"I said…"

She felt it just in time. That familiar tingle, not displeasing in itself, but which she had come to dread because of what it meant, of what its consequences would be, especially here. She felt the ice push under her exposed fingers, the cold rising inside her, ready to engulf her as in that vision the old troll had conjured in the sky many years ago and that she had never managed to push out of her mind.

Elsa clasped her hand against her, trying desperately to contain the burst of ice that she felt ready to escape. She knew the fight was hopeless, that there was no way she would be able to prevent the frost to form around her, here, in front of everyone. She desperately clenched her exposed left fist, wrapping it with her still gloved right hand, huddling inside her royal cloak, attempting to delay the inevitable. She was at an arm's reach from the door now, but it may as well have been miles away. Even a simple step would probably unleash her dreaded powers and freeze half the room.

_Conceal, don't feel. Not now, please, not here. Conceal don't feel, conceal don't feel._

Looking down, Elsa saw with horror a patch of ice appearing under her feet, growing, spreading. She heard a creaking sound above her, and suspected that some ice was now forming on the ceiling as well. At least, it was not on the ground, but this was only a small respite. The ice had found a way, like it always did, it would keep pushing out of her now, it was only a matter of seconds before someone noticed...

"Elsa, are you all right?"

Anna's compassionate voice cut through the storm in her head like boiling water poured over fresh snow. It was uncomfortably close, right behind her, in harm's way… but it was also devoid of the anger and hurt that she had been carrying only a moment ago. Elsa could not help feeling a pang of relief upon hearing it.

_Go away, Anna, don't stay here, I'll hurt you, I can't control it, please, Anna, go away…_

"Listen, uh, I'm sorry if I upset you. I should not have shouted at you. Um, sorry. Here, you can take your glove, I did not want to shout, I'm sorry…"

Whirling around, Elsa snatched the glove from Anna's hand, surprising her sister who leapt backward in shock. _Good, stay away from me_. She had been far too close indeed. Elsa struggled to put on her glove, trying to regain her composure as she felt the familiar fabric encase her hand again, containing her, protecting those around her. She glimpsed Anna shivering and noticed that the breaths of the guests had all turned into little steamy clouds.

_I have to get out of here, they will notice, they will know..._.

"I'm sorry, Elsa, I should not have shouted, I did not want to upset you. Just… please, Elsa. Ok, I, I got it, you don't want to see me any more, but please just let me be happy this one time, I won't bother you ever again after that, I promise, please, Elsa, I beg you…"

Elsa could still feel her heart pounding in her chest, and the dread she had felt when she thought her powers would be unleashed here, in front of everyone, was still there, assaulting her mind. She looked into her sister's pleading eyes and realised she felt too drained to fight now. She knew she should flee, go back to her room, take the time to find her confidence back, but her sister was here, still asking, pleading, with tears in her eyes, and now she felt unable to leave her so quickly.

_"Elsa, are you all right?"_ There had been only concern in Anna's voice, as if she was the one fearing to harm her…

Elsa bowed her head down, hating her weakness. _Don't do it! Leave now!_

"Fine", she whispered.

"Just this time, please, I won't ask you any… wait, what?"

"I consent. Marry him, be happy."

"Oh thank you, thank you Elsa! I'm sorry I shouted, thank you!"

Anna looked as if she was about to hug her. Elsa took a step backward, defensively raising her hands, conjuring a small smile.

"Thank you, your Majesty", said Hans, appearing at Anna's side, smiling. She noted how close his expression was to her sister's. As if they really were kindred spirits.

_Or as if he was… following a cue._

Elsa nodded, then quickly turned around and crossed the door, feeling relief as she heard it slam behind her. As she hurried along the empty corridors to the safety of her room, she wondered if she had not just put Anna in a greater danger as if she had let her hug her.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: This story has been kicking around in my head since I've watched Frozen. Since it's my first fic, I have refrained from writing something too ambitious so the story will span over more or less the same timeframe as the movie. And I will not try to aim at something 100% realistic.  
Hope you enjoy it!


	2. Play by yourself

Anna was hurrying across the upper gallery. She would not have believed that a wedding was so much work and time. It was really not fair. People should be able to marry as quickly as they got engaged when it was true love. It certainly did happen that way in some of the stories she had read. Then again, in those stories, people trying to prevent you from marrying your true love never brought up such a silly excuse as you having just met him.

And, in these stories, she thought bitterly, the closest relatives of the bride were usually present, at least when they were alive or had not been already swept away by another dashing stranger. She had not seen Elsa since the day of the coronation, and she feared she would never again. She had knocked once or twice on her door but got no answer. _I will have to find someone to walk me up the aisle_.

Thankfully, there would be no need to wait for the guests, since most of those who came for the coronation had gladly accepted to stay for the wedding as well. Of course, this meant the Duke of Weselton was still around with his ridiculous toupee, but he probably would not try to dance with her again. And there were some other guests with whom she had lacked the time to speak and who seemed fun, like that girl with the short brown hair that she had passed by as she was rushing out of the castle the day of the coronation.

She also hoped at least some of Hans' brothers would be able to arrive in time. She had been caressing the thought that Elsa would meet one of them, fall in love, and end up marrying him as well. She had discussed this idea with Hans, who had listened with his tender smile while she listed various tricks for ensuring the encounter would happen. He had informed her later that the bad weather around the Southern Isles may prevent them from coming or delay them, but there was still hope a few of them would arrive in time.

She tried to check her mental list of things to do, and once again remembered that its first item was that she should write it, as she kept forgetting items and adding some. She at least knew what her next task was: meet with the tailor for the try-out session of her wedding dress. She suspected that she was very late for that.

She stopped near the top of the stairs to check the time from Karl. This was the name she had given to the grandfather clock that was there, because it sounded a bit like the deep tick-tock sound it made. He kindly confirmed that she was indeed late and the tailor would probably complain with his funny accent again. There was not time to lose, then. She reached the staircase and grabbed the column to jump on the handrail. As she spiralled down gliding, she reflected that she would have to teach all those names to Hans, and maybe introduce him to the people in the paintings as well. They were her childhood friends after all.

Anna realised that she was closing to the base of the staircase, and prepared to jump at the feet of Sir Nick, the name she had given to the suit of armour that was standing there and who had caught her more than once when she missed her jump. This time her timing was perfect, or would have been if she had taken into account the presence of someone at the bottom of the stairs. She flew at full speed into the man, throwing both of them against the poor Sir Nick who fell apart, scattering in all directions and dropping his helmet on top of Anna's head.

"Sorry!" shouted Anna, her voice muffled by the helmet. She raised the visor. "I'm sorry!" she added, looking at the man disentangling himself from the armour.

She recognised the royal surgeon, Doctor Andersen. The tall, thin man scrambled to his feet and offered her his hand to help her on her feet.

"Still running around the castle, Princess Anna? Was this cast not enough to deter you?"

"I'm sorry, Doctor, I'm sorry. I was, uh, in a hurry. And, uh, I was eight when I broke this arm", she added petulantly as she struggled to remove the helmet.

Anna was rather fond of the old doctor. For one thing, he lived outside the palace, and as such, had been one of the relatively new faces she could see around, even if it meant she had to be sick for this. He was also a kind soul, always carrying some sweets to alleviate the taste of his foulest medicines, and willing to listen to Anna's babbling when she was younger. Also, she did not have to act too formal around him, as even princesses are not required to maintain the protocol when they are bedridden with a fever. She always tried to coerce some information from him about Elsa – she knew he had come for her at least once, when they were still sharing the same room – but he never obliged. At least, it meant she was in good health, and that was a reason for rejoicing.

"Now look what you have done." The doctor showed a heavy leather bag he had been carrying, and that was now sprawled a few feet away, its contents spilled all around it.

"Oh, sorry, I'm sorry." Anna finally managed to extricate her head from the helmet at the cost of only a few hairs that remained caught in the visor hinges. "Here, I'll help you", she added, running to gather the vials and other strange medical devices that had spread from the doctor's bag.

"Is, er, is someone sick, in the palace?" she asked, while picking them up. "I mean, unless you were still here because you came for the coronation, but that would be weird because it was days ago and the party stopped after Elsa left, or because of the wedding but it's not today yet, I would like so, but…"

"Thank you", said the doctor as she handed him some vials. "As a matter of fact, I had been visiting your fiancé, who had not been feeling well. It was nothing", he added hurriedly as Anna looked up with concern, "just a little cold from a forced bath he took a few days ago"

"Oh, er, well, of course, that's good. I mean, that's good that he's all right then" said Anna, wondering when that happened and hoping she was not somehow responsible. They did nearly fall in the water on their first meeting, after all. "I think that's the last one" she added hurriedly, handing the doctor a box of pills, and making a mental note of checking up on Hans.

"Thank you, your Highness." The doctor was rummaging in his bag, arranging the vials and instruments around. He looked up, frowning. "Are you sure you did not miss one? One of my boxes seems to be missing."

"But… I looked everywhere", said Anna. She ran around the armours lined up against the wall, looking again, even though she was sure she had already checked each of them. She turned to look at the hallway floor. "What does it look like?"

The doctor had been checking the contents of his bag and relaxed a little. "Oh, it's that one…. It's a small box, with a screwed-on lid. It should be labelled Testa Speculo".

"That's a strange name. Was it one of those cough pills with the sour taste?"

"No, it's something different", said the doctor. "This is a ground herb that I use in the preparation of other drugs."

"Oh? So, it is not a medicine?" asked Anna, who was crouching to look behind one set of armour, the one she had called Sir Tony.

"Not exactly. By itself, it has little effect. But when mixed with other elements, it allows to release the properties that are useful for creating medicines."

"So it's… not a medicine, but it allows to make medicines?"

"Exactly." A concerned look crossed the doctor's face. "And… some other, more dangerous drugs."

"How dangerous?"

The doctor shifted uncomfortably, still rummaging fruitlessly in his bag.

"It could be used to create some… poisonous substances. Of course", he added, looking up at Anna and smiling reassuringly, "you would need to know the exact recipes for that. Not everyone does, thankfully".

Anna had been looking around without success.

"I'm really sorry Doctor, I can't find it, I'm sorry I made you drop it…"

"That's nothing, Princess Anna. Maybe I actually forgot to pack it this morning. I only need it for some drugs that need to be prepared on the spot, after all, and there are not too many of those". He smiled benevolently. "Thank you for your help."

"It was the least I could do! I am sorry, I was late for the… oh now I'm late, I have to go … If I find a box of herbs with a strange name, I won't try to mix it with anything, I promise."

Anna briefly curtsied in response to the doctor's benevolent smile, then hurried away.

"And remember" called the doctor after her, "handrails are not the favoured method for climbing down stairs, unless you really want to sport a cast again".

* * *

Elsa looked at her mirror, adjusting her ceremonial dress while trying to gather her thoughts, or, at least, prevent them to drift back to that terrible evening where she had nearly lost control. Or to the fact that her sister was going to marry a man she did not know.

She took a deep breath. She had to fulfil her role as a queen. At least today was easier – just this one meeting with the Duke of Weselton, who kept insisting about this trade agreement of his. Well he _was_ Arendelle closest partner in trade, and he was entitled to a face to face meeting, no matter how much she disliked those, and how much she was growing to dislike him as well. At least she could chose to meet him in the little study reserved for such meetings. There was no way she would let strangers enter her private apartments. _Not with those icicles everywhere._

As she prepared to leave the safety of her room, she tried to concentrate on what her father had told her of Weselton, of the commercial strengths of Arendelle, and his warnings about the Duke, which she was pretty sure did not include his approach to dancing.

She was also hoping very hard that she would not meet her sister.

* * *

_Well, that went well_, thought Anna as she left the tailor and his aides, somehow regretting to be back in her plain dress so soon. The white gown had been really gorgeous, and she felt a little pang of regret at the idea that Elsa would probably not see her with it. For once she may have been as beautiful as her sister had been the day of her coronation, in that green gown and purple cape of hers.

She tried to put these bitter thoughts away by concentrating once more on the wedding and checked her mental list again, coming once more to the conclusion that she really should to write it down. Ah yes, here was one of the items – she had to make sure there would be plenty of chocolate. Eating those sweets during the coronation had reminded her how much she loved it. She had been entertaining the foolish hope that the delicious smell would lure Elsa to the party even if she had decided not to attend it. She needed to talk to Gerda.

As she hurried along a gallery, desperately trying to remember the other items on her list, she stopped in her tracks as she passed by an imposing dresser occupying a corner. It had been a while since she had taken this path, and it brought back a fond memory: it was one of her favourite spots when she was playing hide and seek. She smiled, remembering that game.

She had discovered that the dresser actually hid a disused corridor that led to a condemned door. You had to crawl under it, but after that, there was this huge space where you could comfortably wait for your sister to get to you. It had taken ages for Elsa to find her the day she had first discovered this place.

At least, she had been looking, thought Anna sadly, remembering the other, more recent times when she had tried to entice her sister to play hide and seek. She would knock on her door, claim that she would be hiding and then Elsa would need to find her, then run away. No one had come to find her, even in the most obvious places. She had resorted to play hide and seek alone for a while, but it was no fun. Her dolls had become incredibly good at spotting her.

Anna suddenly wondered if she could still hide there. Looking quickly around her, she dropped on all fours, then was delighted to discover that she was still nimble enough to crawl under the big dresser and reach the forgotten corridor with its musty smell. She remembered that she used to like hiding there sometimes when she was around ten and wanted a quiet place where to play or sulk, imagining that she had found a hidden passage to another world.

Actually, it was almost true, as the door on the other side led to a study. She smiled again as she remembered her explorations to discover the room on the other side. She had even kept a little diary at the time, like all great explorers did in the stories she read. She had eventually succeeded at isolating a little study that was apparently used for official meetings. It was a comfy room, adorned with old tapestries and some crests. She had talked a bit with the people on the tapestries, but they were less fun than the paintings, and seemed mainly concerned with firing arrows on some enraged bear. She would still have to present them to Hans as well.  
She had also discovered that the swords in the crests were very real, and even sharpened enough to cut her finger when she had playfully tried the blade as people did in her books.

Her father apparently used this study for meetings with some ambassadors or others. That was how she had made sure she had found the right room: she had watched her father enter it with his guests, then rushed to her secret corridor to discover that she was able to perfectly hear them talk through the condemned door.  
Of course, after she had made sure that it was them she was hearing, she had dutifully left, as eavesdropping was bad. Besides, they had been talking about boring things.

Fumbling around a bit in the gloom, she came closer to the blocked door. She remembered wondering if she could open it and surprise the people behind by springing out as a jack in the box. It would be hard – the door was hidden behind one of the tapestries, and had apparently been shut for some time. It would probably rip the tapestry apart, and the people in it would certainly not be happy about it.

It was fun being here again – as a farewell to her lonely years. She was surprised to hear voices on the other side. Bringing her head closer, she immediately identified the nasal voice of the Duke of Weselton… and the calm, composed voice of her sister. Anna could not stop a gasp that was apparently not heard behind the door. She listened a little, but recognised the kind of boring stuff her father had been talking with his guests at the time. Still, it felt good to hear Elsa talking, even if it was apparently something about the price of wood and manufactured goods, for whatever reason.

She suddenly realised that this meant her sister was out of her room, and that she could talk to her. She rushed out of the corridor and crawled back from under the dresser into the gallery. Brushing quickly the dust from her dress, she hurried to the actual door of the study, which was in another gallery. She arrived just in time to see it open.

Anna steadied herself on the wall, panting, as she saw the Duke of Weselton exit while babbling obsequiously. Then her heart leaped as she saw her sister follow slowly, calm and composed, with this benevolent, slightly condescending smile she had been wearing at the coronation and which Anna had come to name Elsa's crown face. It was far less funny than the faces she would do to make her laugh when they were younger.

Anna thought she saw Elsa's eyes open slightly wider as she noticed her sister waiting for her. But the queen walked calmly on, exchanging some words with the duke who did not seem to want to take leave so soon, flashed her a gentle smile as she went by her, then passed her by without a word. Anna felt her throat tighten, oblivious to the elaborated salute the duke threw at her, and watched dejectedly her sister walk away, with the duke still in tow.

Anna bowed her head down, sighing sadly, her breath incongruously visible in the suddenly chilly air. She could have tried to talk, could try to run after her sister now, but she feared another bitter disappointment. At least, she had seen her sister again, in all her regal splendour, and doing queenly stuff. And maybe, she thought, cheering up a little, the strain of talking with the duke for so long has exhausted her, if his conversation was on par with his dancing.

Once again, she pushed the sadness back by concentrating on her wedding, and trying to remember her list of things to do. As she noted once more that she had to write it down, she remembered the latest, most important item: she had to check up on Hans. She decided to do it now before she forgot. Besides, it would do her some good to speak with her true love.

* * *

Elsa walked hurriedly to her room, finally rid of the persistent duke. It was not over yet: she now had a draft of the trade agreement to study before signing it. She did intend to examine it closely, as Weselton seemed to have a very personal conception of "equitable trade". But she would be able to do it alone, in her room, without risking another encounter with her sister. What she could not avoid to do now however was to replay endlessly in her mind that moment when she had seen the hopeful eyes of her sister cloud with disappointment and hurt as she had been forced to ignore her.

* * *

Anna's heart pounded a bit faster as she recognised the person walking in the gallery toward her.

"Hans!" she called. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, hello, Anna", answered her fiancé. "Yes, I'm perfectly all right, even more now that I'm with you".

Anna looked at him fondly.

"I just saw Doctor Andersen. In fact, I bumped a bit into him" she added, giggling. "No, wait, that is not funny, I made him lose one of his boxes. But he told me you were a bit sick?"

"Oh, yes, but nothing serious, thankfully. Your doctor is a very competent man."

"Yes, he is very nice. I was never afraid of being sick when I was little, thanks to him".

Hans looked in the distance.

"You are lucky", he said. "My brothers liked to frighten me when I was sick. One of their pranks was saying that they had added something to my medicines that would make me even more sick."

"That's awful!"

"Yes, indeed. I remember their favourite was to say they had mixed ground apple seeds with one of my drugs, and that this would make me horribly sicker, but they did not want to say which one"

"Apple seeds? That's strange!"

"Well, they pretended that it could be enough to change the way the drug acted… I was little, so I believed them… But I heard that it could actually happen with some drugs. Still, this gave me some terrible nightmares".

"OK, that is really horrible! I promise I will never say anything that would give you nightmares! When I see those brothers I will tell them that they are awful people! I will see them, right?"

Hans smiled.

"Of course" he said. "Even if they can't be present to our wedding, we will visit them afterwards."

"That's so great! I can't wait for our wedding". She frowned, as an idea struck her. "Oh, I forgot, I had to talk with Gerda to make sure there would be plenty of chocolate at the party! I will see you later, I have to go now!"

"Certainly, I look forward to see you again! Oh, and Anna", he called after her, "you should write down a list for all the things you have to do, it would help you a lot!"

"Yes I know!" she shouted back. "It is on my list of things to do!"

* * *

Anna hurried on the gallery overlooking the courtyard, feeling happier after this short talk with her true love. Apple seeds… what an awful prank. Brothers were definitely worse than sisters, it seemed. At least her sister had never said anything to give her nightmares. Not knowingly anyway. She probably did not remain silent behind her door just so that Anna would get one of those horrible nightmares where she finally opened it, only to find an empty room behind, and discover that the whole castle was suddenly deserted and that she was all alone in it while she heard people having fun elsewhere.

Then there were these other strange dreams she had been doing more than once after they had been separated. She would be jumping over furnitures in the great hall or sometimes over mounds of snow in the garden while her sister watched her. Sometimes, a gentle troll appeared out of nowhere and kissed her, turning her strand of hair white, while her sister looked on nervously.  
But some other times, a terrible feeling of dread inexplicably came unto her as she heard her sister shout something, and she would wake up, filled with an icy fear that let her shivering in her bed for hours after waking up. Elsa was certainly not responsible for those dreams, even if Anna would have loved to see her after she had had them.

When they had shared a room, her sister would always be here when she woke up from a bad dream. She would hold her in her arms, trying to calm her, whispering that she was there now, and that everything was all right. Sometimes when that was not enough she would make something funny, like wave her arms around and make whooshing sounds, claiming it was some magic to take the nightmare away. If there was snow outside, she would offer to sneak out and build her a snowman – maybe this was why her best memories with Elsa had always been during the winter.

Later, when she slept alone, her mother would sometimes hear her and come to calm her with soft words and a light kiss on the forehead. And later on there was no one to be there when she woke up from nightmares and lay shivering or crying alone in her room, hoping sometimes that her parents' death was one such nightmare from which Elsa would wake her up.

Well now, Hans would be there, she thought. He would be there to hold her in his arms in the nights where she had one of those nightmares (and Anna blushed a bit as this idea conjured some other thoughts, the kind of which had definitely never involved Elsa). He would be there during the days which she would never spend alone again. They would meet people together and have fun with them. They could even travel and meet his brothers! And maybe, with Hans at her side, she would not need to speak to paintings and statues ever again.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: I really did not want to add any OC, but at some point my story would not work otherwise. I compensated that by using the most unoriginal name for an OC in a Frozen fanfiction.  
This chapter was the one that needed the most rewrites, so I took the opportunity to add more or less subtle references to other movies as I went along.  
Although Anna getting the armor helmet stuck on her head was something that happened by complete accident as I was writing.


	3. That amazing smell

Elsa counted the strokes of the bells, each of them accompanied by a little circle of ice on her desk. She was in the safety of her room, trying to concentrate on the trade agreement with Weselton. _Sorry, Anna_. This was the best day of her sister's life, and she would not be there. As she had not be there at any of her birthdays. Nor when her parents… she dropped this train of thought, as she felt the chair under her crackle as ice began covering it.

_Sorry, Anna. But I can't go in public so soon. It would be worse than anything. Worse than me staying here._

She was still frightened over how close she had been to lose control of her powers that day. She could not keep her mind from replaying the scene over and over, mulling over what would have happened if she had really revealed them, if she had let the ice burst from her fingers as it almost did.

_I could have hurt someone. I could have hurt… Anna._

Ice crept on her desk. She tried to push those thoughts away, to concentrate on the agreement. The Duke of Weasel… Weselton, she mentally corrected herself, was just as tough a trading partner as her father had warned her about. Arendellian wood was worth much more than what he proposed, she knew. And manufactured goods were not in that high a demand in Arendelle to justify such a high cost.

Another bell stroke. Another little circle of frost on the desk. Another thought. _I hope this is really the happiest day of your life, Anna_. Almost losing control of her powers was not her only shameful memory of that day. _I'm supposed to look over Anna, as __her__ queen and her older sister._

And that meant more than avoiding to hurt her with her powers. Prince Hans looked like a trustworthy fellow, despite her unfounded misgivings, and he certainly looked smitten by Anna, but could she be sure of what he would be like in one year? In ten years? Would he really make her happy?  
Elsa held her head in her hands and forced her eyes on the trade agreement again, which was now peppered by tiny icicles. Numbers and words danced in front of her eyes, as she tried desperately to push the concern out of her mind. _My sister will commit her life to someone. What does she really know of him? _  
Prices, numbers, manufactured parts, numbered manufactured parts… no, that was not right, but the prices were wrong here as well...

_What are you doing, Anna?_

* * *

Anna straightened, feeling her heart thump in her chest.

"I, Princess Anna of Arendelle, take thee, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, as my lawfully wedded husband, for better or for worse, till death do us part".

She gazed into Hans beautiful eyes as the bishop uttered the ceremonial formula in the ancient tongue. Then she closed her eyes as he leaned toward her. She relished the soft, sweet touch of his lips against hers, oblivious to the world around her, to the round of applause in the cathedral. She was not alone any more, now. She finally had someone with whom to talk. Someone with whom to share her pains and her joys. Then Hans withdrew his lips, and she opened her eyes to watch him smiling at her, with that benevolent, shy smile of him.

_So this is what a true love kiss feels like_.

As the couple turned back to the applauding guests, her eyes rested on the ornate chair that was reserved to the ruler of the state. The empty chair, at which people carefully avoided to look too directly.

_I will leave you alone, now, Elsa_, she thought sadly, as her heart sank for a second. _This is what you always wanted, right? If only you ever told me what it was I did to you._

* * *

Elsa jumped a bit as she heard the bells again, this time signalling the end of the wedding ceremony. So this was done now. Her sister was married. Maybe it was for the best, she hoped. There would be someone to take care of her. Anna would stop trying to see her, to ask her the impossible, to remind her how vulnerable she was. She could finally enjoy her own loneliness without fearing to hurt her sister.  
As she forced herself back on her study of prices, Elsa wondered why the perspective of never seeing her sister again filled her with such sadness.

* * *

"You look sad, Anna".

Anna looked up and lightened up at Hans' smile. He carried two glasses and handed her one.

"Did our dance tired you already?"

Anna smiled. She really had no reason to be unhappy. For once, this was the second ball held in the palace in a short time, and the second ball of her life, come to think of it. And that one was in her honour. She looked at the crowd of guests enjoying themselves. She spotted the Duke of Weselton who, apparently tired of asking her if she knew where Queen Elsa was, had decided to inflict his dancing over other people. His current victim was the girl with the short brown hair, and the spectacle was apparently immensely amusing her companion, a lanky bearded man. People were dancing, laughing, eating. Happy, funny, unusual people. And her true love was at her side. The only thing missing…

"I was thinking about my sister."

"Are you angry that she could not come?"

"No, I'm sad for her. We're having fun, here, everyone is having fun, and she's alone."

"Maybe the queen likes to be alone".

"No, Hans, no one wants to be alone. She just… ah, never mind. This is our day, I should not worry you with this, it's just that I can't help thinking about it…"

"No, Anna, this is why I love you", said Hans sweetly. "You always care so much about others. I wish my brothers were more like you", he added wistfully. "Maybe you could send something to your sister?"

"Ooh, that's a wonderful idea, Hans. I know! I will send her some chocolates", Anna said, showing the large buffet covered with various assortments of mouth-watering sweets. "I hoped she would come for them, but since that did not work, she better have some. I know she still loves it anyway."

"That is a good idea. I will send someone…"

"No, I will bring them myself. If she wants to stay alone, OK, she will, but she will have my chocolates, and I will be sure she gets them".

Hans laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Then let me help. I will gather a box for you, and you can bring it to your sister. Don't be too long", he added softly with his charming smile.

Anna watched him fondly as he walked to the dessert buffet. _We complete each other so well_. She raised her left hand and contemplated once more the ring adorning it.  
_I'm not alone __any more._

* * *

Elsa dipped the quill in the ink bottle. Working had succeeded in pushing away her most disquieting thoughts, and her chair was now completely devoid of ice.

There was a soft knocking on the door. Elsa went very still, a fine layer of frost forming on the quill. She knew this knocking only too well.

"Elsa?" Anna's voice was muffled through the door.

"Listen, um, OK, this is a bit awkward, well I wanted to say that… the wedding went well. Yes, it went very, very well. It was sad that you were not there, but", Anna added hurriedly "I'm sure you had a lot of other things to do, what with the politics and other... queenly stuff that you have to do. Oh, you may want to know that I did not dance with the Duke of Weas...eselton this time, but he asked me where you were a few times." Anna stifled a giggle. "And he found other women to dance with."

There was a pause. Elsa sat still unmoving at her desk. The ink was now freezing in the bottle with little cracks. _Conceal, don't feel. Conceal don't feel. Please, Anna, go away, please, go to your husband, just… forget me. Please. Conceal, don't feel._

"Well, anyway, um, I will go back now, I just wanted to say, well, hi, oh, and if you want to come, the party is only starting, so, um, you have plenty of time..." Anna's hopeful voice trailed away, before resuming with a sadder tone. "But I guess you probably don't want to, or can't, so, well, I brought you some chocolates from the party. So you can still enjoy the fun a little and not have to come if you don't actually want to… Hans picked them up, so they are from both of us…"

Another pause. Elsa's fingers were aching from gripping the quill so hard. She had closed her eyes, trying to not hear the disappointment in her sister's voice, and to stop the slow progression of frost over her desk. She was succeeding at neither.

"Anyway, I'll let them in front of your door. So you can pick them up when you have the time. And I'll go now. I mean, I will really go back to the party, and not wait around the corner to see if you come out to pick them up. Not that I ever did that before when I brought chocolates to your door, but, in case you had the idea I would be doing it, this time I won't. Nor like I either did any other times. Where you never opened your door anyway. I mean, I guess you never opened it, this is a complete shot in the dark and not something I stayed to check for..."

Anna's voice trailed away again. Elsa watched desperately icicles beginning to form on the walls. _Yes, I knew you were hiding behind the corner when you brought me chocolates. That's why I never opened. Please, Anna, please. Conceal, don't feel_.

"Well, I will be going this time. I mean, really going, not waiting around the corner, not that I ever did it. Because, this time, Hans is waiting for me, as are all the other guests… and we are really having fun, so if you want to join, maybe to get more chocolates, you can come when you want… OK, this is me going now, I left the box in front of your door like I did before… Well you probably don't know because you never opened the door to take them but they are a bit to the side, so you can just open your door a bit and take them… OK, I am going now. Bye, Elsa. If you want to come, we will probably be dancing late in the night so it's OK if you take your time. I'm really going now. See you… or not. I'm just coming back to check that the chocolates are well in place… So just in case you want to open your door now, ha ha, you would find me right behind it, but that does not mean I'm spying on you. Now, I'm leaving. Almost left…. Now I have completely left… I must shout for you to hear me… Enjoy our chocolates..."

Anna's voice went distant, really distant this time, and not sounding like someone lowering her voice while waiting at the corner. Elsa breathed a sigh of relief. She remained still for a few minutes, not daring to move in case Anna came back. Then she slowly put her quill away from the frozen ink bottle, and deliberately reached to her drawer to refill it.

_I will resume my writing now. I don't have time to eat chocolates. I will not go to the door. I had lunch brought to my room earlier tonight. I don't have time to eat the chocolates brought by my sister, whose wedding I missed._. Concentrating on her movements, Elsa began refilling the bottle. _Conceal, don't feel. The letter to the Duke of Weselton about the trade agreements. Be diplomatic. I have to tell him that the price of chocolate… of wood, is much higher than what he offers, because of the high quality of our chocolates. Of our weddings. Essences. The high quality of the essences of the Arendellian wood justifies an increased price per cubic foot._ Elsa finished her refilling and fetched a new quill, forming diplomatic sentences in her head. The emotionless, concealing language helped take her mind away. She picked up her last sentence where she had left it.

* * *

"Did you see her?" Hans was waiting for Anna at the entrance of the ballroom.

"No", sighed Anna dejectedly, "she did not open her door, as always. But I let the chocolates in front of it. Maybe she will take them eventually".

"Are you sure?" asked Hans with concern. "It would be sad if she did not even touch them. I would be sad to know that she does not at least enjoy the party a little."

Anna leaned up and kissed him.

"I love you", she said. "Don't worry, I will go check later. Maybe this time she will take them… or at least answer", she added sombrely.

"If you want, I can go check later as well. Maybe she will listen to me" said Hans. The orchestra changed song. "In the meantime, may I invite you to this dance, Princess Anna?"

Laughing, Anna took his hand and they dived into the sea of dancers.

* * *

Elsa sighed as she drew her elaborate signature on the letter.

_I would deserve a little chocolate now_, came the treacherous thought.

She listened. There was no sound behind her door. Even the music from the party did not reach this part of the castle. It had been half an hour; Anna may have waited much longer than that before, but Elsa hoped that she really had gone back to her husband.

_It would make her happy to see that I took the chocolates. And I would not even have to talk to her or see her. I would not endanger anyone and I could make her see that I care._.

Elsa was still debating with herself as she slowly rose from her chair and went for the door. Finally, she gave up and slowly worked the handle. She half expected Anna to pounce on her from somewhere, but the corridor behind the door was cold and silent. _Probably warmer than my room nevertheless_.

Anna had not lied, the little box of chocolates, neatly wrapped with a green ribbon, was standing right behind the opening. Reaching down, Elsa snatched it and quickly closed the door. She stayed there a few seconds, her heart pounding, not bothering to turn the key, before slowly walking back to her dressing table, where she deposited the box. She sat down and waited a little more before untying the ribbon and opening it. The whiff of chocolate instantly welcomed her nostrils, and she drew a few delighted breaths. She looked at the various chocolates, neatly arranged, and could not keep an ecstatic smile from spreading on her lips.

Elsa removed her left glove. It meant she would have to eat the chocolates half frozen, but she did not like to use her gloves when eating, and even less chocolate. Besides, she had come to like the taste of cold chocolate from the few times she had indulged in it. It was like eating an ice cream.

She picked up the first chocolate, a plain truffle with glazed sides, watching it sadly whiten with frost as she moved it to her mouth. She had to crunch hard on the frozen sweet, and chew for a while waiting for the chocolate to melt and release its aroma, but she was soon rewarded. First, the slight sourness of chocolate, stinging her cheeks, then the sweetness, suddenly assaulting her taste buds, spreading on her tongue, mingling with her saliva. Elsa closed her eyes, letting the taste of chocolate fill her, taking her away from her worries for a few seconds, as old memories surged…

* * *

"_Elsa, do you want chocolates?" Anna came giggling into the room. Elsa looked away from her geometry problem._

"_Where did you find them?"_

_Anna grinned._

"_There is a big party in the ballroom. Lots of grown ups, talking with Mama and Papa". A diplomatic reception, thought Elsa, proudly remembering the words her father had used. "I looked a bit through the keyhole to see all the ladies with the beautiful gowns, but I was caught by Gerda who was bringing a tray, and there were chocolates on them!"_

"_Did you steal them?" asked Elsa with mock severity._

"_Of course not! I asked if I could take one, and she said yes. Only, I took two! One for me and one for you!"_

* * *

Elsa sighed as the taste receded in her mouth, leaving only a strange after-taste she did not remember chocolate had. Her hand had already reached into the box and her slender fingers were rummaging around the sweets. Finally, they closed on one and moved it to her mouth. This one was cold, but yielded much more easily as her teeth plunged into it, with a crunching sound that revealed the presence of nuts, filling her mouth with a new flavour. And, with it, a new memory arose.

* * *

"_And the chocolate is for you, Anna."_

_Anna reached up to take the proffered sweet._

"_Why Elsa has not a socolate?"_

"_She had the marshmallow. You don't like marshmallows", said her mother, sweetly._

"_But that's not fair! Elsa wuv socolate too!"_

"_It's okay, Anna, I loved my marshmallow."_

"_I wuv not my socolate if you not have some too. We share!"_

"_But that will not be fair, then, Anna", said her mother in a reasonable voice. "You would only have one half of your chocolate then"_

"_I not care! I want Elsa to have some socolate too!"_

* * *

Elsa sighed as she swallowed the chocolate. That one also left this unusual after-taste. Maybe all chocolates did this now. She would have to check, would not she? Her fingers, working on her own accord, had already picked up another chocolate, which was starting to stick to them. She popped the melting chocolate in her mouth and let it dissolve on her tongue, spreading her flavour around her mouth. That one was nougat.

* * *

"_Late!"_

"_No, Anna, chocolate!"_

_Elsa had to stand on tiptoes to be on the level of Anna in her baby chair._

"_Late! Late Za!"_

"_Try to say: chocolate, Anna"._

"_Late Za! Late Za!" cried Anna, thrashing around in her chair._

_Elsa relented and brought her cup of hot chocolate to her mouth, eyeing her sister. She knew what was coming. Anna burst into laughter._

"_Za ha' stash! Za ha' stash! Za 'ike Papa!"_

_Elsa did not attempt to wipe the chocolate moustache that now adorned her upper lip and made a face, instantly rewarded by a bellow of laughter from her sister._

* * *

Elsa swallowed her third chocolate, her eyes focused sixteen years in the past, trying to keep as much as she could of the sweetness of the chocolate in her mouth and the laughter of her baby sister in her mind, ignoring that curious after-taste.

She frowned as a sudden pang of pain went through her stomach. She swallowed. The pain was still there. Come on, it was only three chocolates, it's not fair, shouted her 5 years old self, still so close in her memory.

Elsa rose, and suddenly felt very dizzy. She became conscious of her heart pounding in her chest. _I need a glass of water_. She reached for the decanter and attempted to pour a glass, but her suddenly clumsy fingers proved unexpectedly unreliable, and glass and decanter fell on the floor with a crash. Her head was hurting now.

Elsa tried to walk toward the door, but her legs suddenly felt like cotton. She stumbled and managed to grab a chair to slow down her fall to the floor. Breathing was hard. Moving was hard. She attempted to call for help, but only a feeble cry escaped her lips. Her whole body felt suddenly weak and refused to obey her.

As her vision blurred and her mind became blank, she desperately called to her powers as a last resort.

They tried to protect her in the only way they could.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: I know the wedding should have taken much more time to prepare if I wanted to keep things realistic, but I'm not aiming for complete realism.  
Also, I have not actually watched Tangled, so I'm not sure if the cameo is in character. If not, let us assume they are just complete strangers who happen to look like Tangled characters.


	4. That perfect girl is gone

The music changed. Anna let out a sigh.

"I think I will sit this one out. I never thought that I could be tired of dancing!"

Hans answered with a tender smile. She could never get enough of seeing that smile.

"But first I will go and see if my sister took the chocolates."

"Or, if you want, I can go myself so you can rest a bit. I feel responsible", said Hans sweetly.

"OK. But I will go check the next time then!"

Anna watched her husband leave before turning to the buffet. The dancing and the mention of chocolate had made her hungry. As she grazed upon a plate of appetizers, she wondered if Elsa had taken the chocolates. She suspected sadly that she had not, but since it was not her doing the checking, she could hope a bit longer for a pleasant surprise. And Hans could only bring back good news.

* * *

Hans walked quickly to the corridor leading to Elsa's room. Anna had taken him on enough guided tours of the castle that he now knew how to find his way as if he had spent his childhood there. As he entered the corridor leading to it, he was surprised to see a pool of light spreading out of the queen's room. He quickened his pace. The door to the room was indeed ajar, and, Hans noticed, there was no chocolate box in sight.

"Queen Elsa" he called, knocking on the half opened door, "are you there?"

No answer. Hans pushed the door slightly and looked at the room. The queen was lying on the ground, unconscious. A broken decanter was lying near her.

"Queen Elsa!"

Hans rushed to the queen and knelt next to her. She was not moving, and he was not quite sure she was breathing either. Hans shivered. The air in the room was much cooler than elsewhere in the castle. Reaching down and softly calling to her, he took her hand. It was ice cold. Hans stood up, and noticed the box of chocolates on the table. It had been knocked over, and some chocolates had rolled around it.

"Oh, Prince Hans, you are there! This is terrible!"

Startled, Hans turned around to see a flustered servant standing at the door. His mind raced to remember her name.

"Oh… Gerda, is it? Was it you who opened the door?"

The servant moved inside the room, revealing the slightly out of breath Doctor Andersen behind her.

"Yes", she said hurriedly. "I heard a crash as I was passing by Her Majesty's room, so I called to know if everything was OK. She usually answers when it's us", she added, looking slightly guilty, "even for saying that she does not need anything."

The doctor had hurried to the prone body of the queen.

"There was no answer", continued Gerda, "but I thought I heard something like a cry of pain, so I, um, opened the door. It was not locked. I saw our poor queen on the floor, like this…"

Hans laid a reassuring hand on her arm.

"Then you instantly went to fetch the good doctor?"

"Yes! I knew he was at his home since I had fetched his coat when he left the party."

Hans remembered seeing the doctor taking his leave an hour ago, saying he was too old to dance all night.

"I should warn Princess Anna now."

"No, wait" said Hans. "Not until Doctor Andersen told us if she is all right", he explained. "There is no need to alarm her unduly."

The doctor was worried. He had been tending to the royal family for years, but Elsa was an exception. The last time he had been called to her bedside was for chicken pox when she was seven. After that, she had either never been sick or been treated by someone else. Her parents did sometimes ask him questions that looked like a diagnostic, but apparently concerned neither them nor Princess Anna. He had sometimes entertained the thought that Princess Elsa suffered from an exotic disease that required some special treatment, but there was no history of such a condition in the Arendelle royal family.

Now he was struggling to establish a diagnostic, or at least a hopeful one. The queen's skin was horribly pale and as cold as the frigid room itself. He had tried to take a pulse, but his numbed fingers had not been able to sense anything after a few seconds, and he now regretted not having sent for one of these new stethoscopes that allowed to hear a heartbeat much more easily. Her mouth was tightly shut and had resisted his attempt at opening it. He had raised one of her eyelids and found the beautiful eye behind it frighteningly glassy. Things were not looking good. There was only one test left and he feared to do it.

Hans stood respectfully as the doctor rummaged in his bag. Gerda had hovered helplessly around the room and had now crouched down to pick up the remains of the crashed decanter. Hans absent-mindedly reached for to the chocolate box and gathered the spilled sweets to put them back in.

Doctor Andersen had produced a mirror. He wiped it methodically, then presented it in front of Queen Elsa's lips. Hans and Gerda looked as the doctor kept the mirror in place for almost a minute. Then he sighed and put it away. There was no trace of fog on the cold surface.

"I am sorry", he said, sadly. "Queen Elsa is dead."

Gerda buried her head in her hands. Hans looked down, his face a mask of sorrow.

"I regret to say I can not find the cause", continued the doctor, reluctantly moving away. "She seemed to have been in perfect health before her demise." He sighed. "Princess Anna will have to be notified."

"Please", said Hans. "Let me break the news to her. I don't want to spoil her wedding. She had been waiting for this day for so long…" His voice trailed away.

"Of course, Prince Hans", said the doctor, solemnly. "We will take care of the queen."

Hans turned away and slowly walked to the door. He had just crossed the threshold when he nearly collided with the Duke of Weselton.

"I say! Could I see the queen? I had expected to meet her at the ball today."

Hans drew himself to his full height, towering over the diminutive duke.

"Queen Elsa is not available at the moment, Duke", he said sternly.

"Oh, well that's too bad, since I wanted to discuss about… I say, is that chocolates?"

The duke had advised the open box of chocolates that Hans had distractedly kept in his hand. Before he could react, the duke had reached out and picked up a chocolate.

"No!" shouted Hans. "These chocolates are not…" he trailed off. The duke had already popped the sweet in his mouth.

"Hmm, quite good, quite good. Thank you, Prince Hans. You were saying?"

"These chocolates were… a gift… from Princess Anna. To her sister, the queen" said Hans, carefully choosing his words.

"Oh, I am sorry! So the queen is not there? I want to present my sincerest apologies." The duke grinned hopefully.

"I already told you, the queen is not available, Duke." Hans paused. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, yes, quite all right, thank you. I'm just a bit… must be the party catching on. I'll take some rest… Do you know if the good doctor is still at the party?"

The duke suddenly stumbled and held himself to the wall.

"Doctor!" cried Hans. "Please come at once, the duke is not feeling well!"

The doctor calmly emerged from the room, but rushed instantly to the duke's side as he saw him gasping for breath, slowly sliding to the ground. Shouting to Gerda to bring him his bag, he quickly loosened the duke's tie and crouched at his side.

"He was fine a second ago", blurted Hans. "He had just been eating one of the queen's chocolates…"

The doctor raised his head. A horrible suspicion suddenly went through his mind.

"Are those the chocolates that were on Queen Elsa's table? Could I please see them, Prince Hans?"

Hans handed him the box. The doctor extracted tweezers from his bag to pick a chocolate, sniffed it, then rubbed it with a cloth and looked at it. There was some chocolate there, but also a very fine powder. He sniffed again and cursed under his breath.

"Bring me a glass, quick!"

The duke was breathing heavily, trying to complain, but no sound was coming from his lips. The doctor quickly reached into his bag, and produced two vials, one of which he uncorked and presented under the duke's nose. He gestured to Gerda to pour from the second vial in the glass she had brought.

"Please, drink this, Duke."

The duke managed to take a swig, almost choking in the process. Then a sigh heaved his chest.

"Aaah, much better" he said feebly. "Thank you doctor."

"I don't understand", said Hans. "Was there something wrong with those chocolates?"

Doctor Andersen did not answer immediately as he was carefully wiping his tweezers. Finally he looked up at Hans.

"Yes, Prince Hans. They had been covered with a very dangerous substance. It has a rather strong taste, but chocolate can mask it. It is possible to recover quickly if the antidote can be given in time, but otherwise..." the doctor shrugged sadly.

"But, I don't understand", Hans stammered. "Are you saying those chocolates were… poisoned? Who could have done this?"

"I have no idea. This poison can be prepared rather easily provided one has the right ingredients. Some of them can be found readily but others require some specialised knowledge to find. Oh, no…"

"What is it, Doctor?"

"One way of preparing this poison is by mixing ground apple seeds with Testa Speculo, a ground herb that I use for preparing various medicines. I recently misplaced a box of this herb a few days ago, and Princess Anna and I could not find it. Someone could have found the box… If it is, I may be responsible for what happened" he added, looking devastated.

"Did you say those chocolates were sent to the queen by her sister?" asked the Duke of Weselton suddenly, scrambling up from his resting place on the ground.

"What? Yes, my wife personally delivered them. She wanted her sister to enjoy the party as if…"

"And, Doctor, you just said that Princess Anna was there when you lost your box of… of whatever it was called?"

"Testa Speculo, Duke. It's Latin…. Actually, I was sure I had packed the vial when I went to the castle that day, as it is required to mix up some drugs that can't be prepared in advance, and checked only when my bag spilled after a collision with Princess Anna…"

"Then it is evident. Can't you see it?" said the duke petulantly. "Princess Anna is a poisoner! She tried to poison me with those chocolates! Or possibly her sister" he added after a few seconds of thought. "I say, is the queen all right? "

Hans and the doctor looked at each other.

"I have to talk with Princess Anna" said Hans, before turning away quickly.

"Wait! Maybe you should warn the queen first!" shouted the Duke.

"I fear the queen is beyond warning, Duke", Hans said sadly over his shoulder as he was speeding away.

* * *

Anna could not wait any longer. She had talked with the guests, eaten a few canapés, but could not stop herself from glancing every few seconds at the corridor through which Hans had left. He had had more than enough time to reach Elsa's room and come back, so she was now wondering if he had somehow managed to get an answer from her, and if maybe they were planning a surprise for her, and if they would both appear from the corridor… any second now…  
But the only person she had seen entering the room had been the Duke of Weselton, who had shared a huddled conversation with some guests before leaving with them. She had not given it much thought, but the disappointment of seeing someone enter and turn out not to be Hans or Elsa had somehow made the waiting even worse.

Finally, she had excused herself and was now rushing to her sister's room, hoping to meet her or simply Hans at each corner. It turned out to be Doctor Andersen, with whom she did not collide this time. It was a good thing she could not run with this dress. The doctor looked extremely worried.

"Oh, hello, Doctor! Did you decide to come back after all? Is there something wrong?" she added, noticing the doctor's expression.

"Um… did you see… your husband, Princess Anna?" he asked hesitantly.

"No! I'm looking for him actually. He was… oh, is there something wrong with him?" Anna asked, her eyes suddenly wide with apprehension.

"No, Prince Hans is quite all right, actually… I think he wanted to talk with you…"

"Elsa? Is Elsa all right?"

The doctor shifted uneasily.

"You should really speak with Prince…"

"There is something wrong with Elsa!" shouted Anna. Before the doctor could do anything, she had rushed past him and disappeared round the corner.

Doctor Andersen was still trying to decide his course of action when Hans suddenly appeared at his side, slightly out of breath.

"Was Anna here? I thought I heard her. She had left the ballroom when I reached it."

"Yes. She just left to see her sister. I could not…"

"I knew it!"

The Duke of Weselton was striding purposefully toward them, followed by his two guards and some of the guests.

"I have proof! Princess Anna is a poisoner!"

With a flourish, the Duke produced a small empty box. The words _Testa Speculo_ could be clearly seen on a paper glued to it, in the neat, precise handwriting of chemists.

"This was in her room!"

Hans walked up to the Duke.

"Did you just… enter Princess Anna's room without being allowed?" he asked menacingly.

"It was a matter of state security", shrieked the Duke. "She tried to poison me, after all. And it turns out I was right. Who knows who else she might have tried to poison afterwards! Did you see her?"

* * *

Anna was hurrying as much as her wedding dress allowed it. Maybe it was all some sort of joke, but she had to make sure that Elsa was all right. And where was Hans?

She was surprised to see the door to her sister's room wide open. This was a sight she was not accustomed to, although she was a bit sad that she had not been there to see it opening. Standing on the threshold, she looked inside the room and gasped. Gerda was there, along with another servant. Elsa was lying on her bed.

"Elsa!", she called, not daring to actually enter the room. "Gerda, is Elsa all right?"

Gerda looked up sadly. Anna looked at her sister again, suddenly shivering as a draft of cold air flew from the room. Her sister was very still.

"Anna!"

Hans had appeared in the corridor.

"Hans!" Anna looked at him, unable to leave the door of her sister's room. "What is going on? Is Elsa all right?"

"The queen has been poisoned!" shouted the Duke of Weselton, who had appeared behind Hans, followed by his two ubiquitous guards and, Anna saw, some of the other guests.

"Wait, what?"

"You should know", panted the diminutive duke, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "You sent her those chocolates!"

"What are you saying? I don't understand!"

Hans was now standing at her side.

"Your sister is dead", he said sadly.

Anna looked up into those beautiful eyes of his. Suddenly, the world around her ceased to make sense. _It's a joke. They are all playing a prank on me. Even Elsa is on it!_

"And that's your doing!" shouted the Duke. "You poisoned her with those chocolates! And then you tried to poison me!"

"No", she said. "No, no, no, no, no… that's not… I don't… what are you…"

She turned to look at her sister's room. _That's the first time I see it_. Elsa looked so calm, on her bed. So still…

"Elsa!" she called. "Elsa, I'm sorry, are you all right?"

"Anna." Hans laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. The doctor could not do anything. It was too late."

"What are you talking about? She's sleeping, right? Elsa? Wake up please!"

"And what do you say about THAT!?"

The Duke had sprung in front of her and was brandishing a small box.

"What?" said Anna, trying to focus on the object that was kept far too close to her face.

"This is for making the poison that was used on the chocolates that YOU gave the queen! And it nearly poisoned me as well!"

"That's enough, Duke", said Hans, pushing the short man away. "I am sure there is an explanation for this. Anna, this is serious. Please tell us what you did when you brought the chocolates to your sister."

Anna laughed nervously.

"But you know what I did, Hans. I went to my room to pack the chocolates…"

"Using green ribbon and paper, right?" inquired the duke.

"Why, yes", said Anna hesitantly.

"I found this box on the same table as this ribbon!" announced the duke. "And I have witnesses!" he added, vaguely pointing to his guards and the guests.

Anna attempted to draw herself up. It was not easy to slip back into her Princess stance while looking every second at the unnervingly still body of her sister.

"Did you enter my room unauthorized?"

The duke fumbled a bit.

"It was necessary. This was used to mix a poison that nearly killed me!"

"Hey, was that the box that Doctor Andersen was looking for?"

"Aha, so you know it!" said the duke triumphantly. "You tried to poison your sister as well!"

"Please stop, Duke", said Hans reasonably. "That is not something brothers and sisters do, not for real", he added, looking reassuringly at Anna.

Hans' comment reminded her of something.

"Of course", she said, smiling, relieved at the somewhat lighter memory. "I mean, I would not add ground apple seeds or something to what my sister eats to make her think she is sick…"

She looked around. People were exchanging shocked or meaningful glances. _OK, what did I say wrong this time_, she thought, trying to repeat her last sentence in her head. Hans laid a soothing hand on her arm.

"Just… tell us what you did with the chocolates, Anna."

"I left them at Elsa's door! She did not open, as always, but…"

"Your sister did not open to you?" It was the duke, again. Hans answered for her.

"It had been like that for some time. There is no need to..."

"No need?" The duke was close to jumping in place. "Are you saying that maybe Queen Elsa was wary of her sister? Maybe because she knew that she would be in danger if Princess Anna could get to her!"

Anna looked at the bowed heads around her. Even Hans suddenly looked pained and doubtful. She turned to the room.

"Elsa! Please, wake up! Tell them, please! Elsa! Elsa!"

Anna rushed into the room. She heard the duke yelp something, but did not pay attention to him. She crouched at the side of the bed and looked at the pale face of her sister, becoming aware of how frigid the room was, even with the fire that had been lit in the fireplace.

"Elsa? Please, Elsa, it's not funny! Elsa! Please, stop this now! Elsa!"

A hand closed on her arm, this time more rudely. Anna turned to look at the impassive face of one of the duke's guards.

"Please, Princess Anna, come with us."

Hans had appeared at the guard's side.

"It is best if you follow us now, Anna. So that we can clear this out. I believe you when you say you did not poison your sister, but we have to convince everyone else."

Anna looked at him, feeling suddenly dizzy.

"But… I would never harm Elsa. She is not dead. She has been breathing. I saw her breathe. Please, Elsa. Wake up. No!" she shouted, as the guard led her away. "Wake up, Elsa. Wake up! Wake up, Elsa!"

* * *

**Author's Notes**: I plead guilty of deliberately using the cliché of a poison that does exactly what is needed for the story, even if no such poison would work that way. I did base it on a real poison though, but in the same way that Frozen is based on the tale of The Snow Queen.


	5. Love will thaw

Elsa was drifting in an icy emptiness, white and silent like a landscape after a heavy snowfall. Everything was calm around her. She did not feel anything – only cold, quiet, reassuring cold. Her thoughts were slow, almost non-existent. She knew her powers had helped her escape some nightmare she had been living. She did not even remember what it was, if the pain had been in her mind, her body, or both. She was finally at peace now. She did not need to go back. She could stay that way forever, oblivious of the world around her. It was like being half asleep, and not having any reason to wake up.

She was dimly aware of movements around her, of voices, maybe even people touching her – but she did not care. Everything was far away and distorted, as if occurring a few rooms away. It did not concern her.

Another sound reached her. A voice. But this one was different. She could not ignore it. She cherished it, cherished the person to whom it belonged, she knew that. She could not forget it, not even in this state. It was part of her, almost as much as her own sense of self. _Anna. My sister._

The voice was calling her, asking her to wake up. She could hear it now. Elsa's memories stirred, reaching back.

"_Please, Elsa! Wake up!"_

Anna was once again awake when she should not. She would come and ask her to play. But Elsa was tired, she wanted to sleep.

"_Wake up, Elsa! Wake up!"_

She would insist, like she always did. And suggest to build a snowman. And Elsa would yield, because she liked using her powers, and liked to see the look of awe on her baby sister's face when she did so, and simply loved to play with her.

"_Wake up, Elsa!"_

But she wanted to sleep now. She was so well, tucked in her bed, away from the worries, the memories, the pain…

Anna's voice went distant. Elsa was almost disappointed. She was used to her sister being more persistent. She had spent years knocking on her door, after all…

_What? Anna and I sleep in the same room, why would she knock?_

Elsa felt her mind refocusing slowly, regaining some awareness of the world around her. She knew that she should not be doing this, that the icy void where she had been resting was so much better, but she could not stop it now. The cold was receding around her, as her memories began surging back.

_Yes Anna, I want to play with you… Why can't I? Why did I close the door?_

Sorrow. Pain. Remorse. They seared through her mind, as she remembered watching Anna's body slide lifelessly down the snowy slope, without a sound…

_No, Anna, please, no… You should have let me sleep, let me sleep now, I had been resting, I would not have hurt you..._

Sensations were now returning to her body as well. She was lying on her back, apparently on a bed.

_Maybe I did not hurt Anna yet… If I keep sleeping, I will not hurt her this time..._

She felt the pain coming back, that debilitating weakness spreading again all over her body, along with that feverish feeling. She remembered how she had tried to push it back, to call on her powers to help her, and the merciful, icy limbo that she had reached…

But Anna had been here. Anna was close. She could not hear her any more, but she remembered her shouting, and the urgency in her voice….

_Where is she? She must not come close to me. I will harm her. What does she want? Why did she sound so desperate?_

She had to warn her. She had to tell her to go away from her, or she would hurt her again.

Slowly, regretfully, Elsa concentrated on her surroundings, gradually reconnecting with the real world around her and feeling the pain return in her limbs as the cold void where she had been resting slowly disappeared.

* * *

Doctor Andersen was looking sadly at the body of the queen as Anna's cries were receding in the distance. He had failed the crown of Arendelle. The queen was dead, and he had not been able to save her. This alone was something for which he would not forgive himself for a long time. Of course, if she had indeed been poisoned, and if the poison had really been mixed from his box of Testa Speculo he had lost so stupidly, then forgiving himself would not matter, as he would then be as guilty as the person who had mixed the poison.

If she had been poisoned.

This was a disturbing thought hovering at the back of his mind. He had not been able to identify a poisoning with certainty. All his diagnostic had revealed was that the queen was dead, and very cold, but he could not guarantee that she had succumbed to the poison, as the duke nearly did. In fact, if the doctor had not known anything about the circumstances of the queen's demise, he would have been confident that she had died of hypothermia, like those unfortunate people who sometimes got lost in the mountains during the winter and whose bodies the ice harvesters brought back, sometimes years later.

Although, if she had indeed been eating these chocolates, there was sadly no doubt. Recovery from this poison was almost immediate if the antidote was administered in the minutes following its absorption, but if it was not, death was certain. And she had probably eaten them dozens of minutes ago by the time he came to her.

She was so cold...

This was another unanswered question. The queen could not have been dead for more than an hour. How did her body become so cold so fast? The room was at fault, of course. There was probably a draught somewhere. Was this enough to drop the temperature so much? And if that was the case, why had the fire not been lit? Unless Queen Elsa was comfortable in near freezing temperatures...

The doctor could not ignore this growing, disquieting feeling that something was escaping him. Even more disquieting was a really foolish question that was making its way in his mind despite his best efforts. _Is the queen cold because of the freezing room, or is it the other way around?_

That was stupid, he knew. But the thought was resisting his attempts at pushing it away. He stepped closer to the bed where the queen was lying. Was he imagining it, or was the air really colder now?

Suppose someone was cold enough to freeze a room… _scientifically impossible_. Someone like that would not have a visible breath… _it had never been recorded_. Then another thought rose. He had wondered before whether Queen Elsa had a special condition… _there is no known medical condition that could make someone be cold as ice and alive_.

No known medical condition... He recalled one his old teachers cryptically referring to ancient legends, of children of ice and snow, of curses against which human medicine would be powerless... What if these old legends were true? _Modern medicine has no place for legends_.

He looked at the queen again. Had one of her eyelids fluttered? No, he chided himself. That was a mistake students or grieving relatives did, not people with decades of practice. Dead people may indeed look sometimes as if they were about to move, but...

"… na?"

They certainly never attempted to speak.

Springing into action, the doctor reached into his bag and produced his vials of antidote. He was still not sure that the queen was suffering from poisoning, but if he was to be given a second chance to save her, he was not going to lose it.

"Your Majesty? Can you hear me?"

The queen was attempting to open her eyes, he saw it now. Another strangled sound came from her lips.

"… na… wha' d'wan'… g'way… 'll hurt you…"

The doctor presented his vial under the queen's nose. He saw her inhale and noticed her gasping ever so slightly. So she was reacting to it. This meant she was indeed suffering from the effects of the poison, along with whatever stupor had taken hold of her, and that the poisoning at least could still be cured.

"Your Majesty?" The doctor quickly poured a measure of the antidote from his other vial into the glass. "If you hear me, you have to drink this."

Doctor Andersen raised the queen's head and put the glass to her lips. She feebly attempted to resist, but thankfully swallowed the medicine. The doctor felt his fingers sting from the cold and watched the glass become covered with frost as Elsa drank. Maybe there was some place for these old legends after all…

Elsa coughed as she slipped back on her bed and took a few deep breaths. The air in the room was becoming warmer. Eventually the queen turned her head toward the doctor.

"Thank you, Doctor", she said. "You may leave, now." She suddenly noticed the wide open door. "Who… who entered my room?"

"You should rest now, your Majesty."

But Elsa was looking at her room, noticing the fire burning in the fireplace, the chairs that had been pushed back, the displaced items on her desk… and also the missing box of chocolates.

"What happened, Doctor? I lost consciousness…" She searched her memories. "I felt sick as I was eating chocolates and…" Elsa's voice trailed away. She had willed her powers to help her, and she more or less suspected that they had done just that, but she was not sure how. She remembered the eerie calm that had dulled away her pain, her fears, her thoughts. Now everything was back, but at least the pain in her body was receding as the medicine from the doctor took effect. She looked up at him.

"What has been going on? I thought I heard my sister calling me. Was she there?" she asked with a shudder.

"Yes, your Majesty." The doctor hesitated. "Princess Anna did not want to believe you were… dead. You see, it appears that those chocolates you had been eating had been… poisoned."

Elsa's eyes opened wide. "Poisoned? Someone wanted to kill me?"

Her father had told her about this, of course. She knew that the head of a state could become the target of assassination attempts, especially in time of wars or tumultuous successions. But Arendelle had been at peace with its neighbours for decades, and the throne had been uncontested for even longer than that.

"Yes."

"Are you sure? Do you know who did this?"

The doctor looked away.

"The Duke of Weselton seems convinced that it was… your sister."

Elsa jerked upright. The room danced around her before settling as the dizziness receded. She also heard the little crinkling sound of the frost forming on her sheets. She paid it no attention.

"The Duke of Weaseltown thinks that Anna tried to poison me? And everybody laughed in his face, of course?"

"I fear he has convinced some of the dignitaries… and even Prince Hans looked doubtful. There are some evidence that… Your Majesty, you should get some more rest..."

But Elsa was getting up, ignoring the dizziness and the lingering weakness in her limbs.

"Where are they all now?"

"Your sister was led away by the guards… and I think the dignitaries headed to the Great Hall… I apologise, your Majesty."

Elsa had been walking unsteadily but resolutely toward the door. She reached for the door frame for support.

"For what?"

"For… announcing that you were dead when it was obviously not the case. And not raising my voice when the duke began levelling accusations at Princess Anna."

"Oh?" Elsa arched an eyebrow. "So you don't believe my sister could poison me either? Do you have evidence on your own?"

"Nothing but my memories, your Majesty." The doctor smiled sadly. "Whenever I treated Princess Anna, she asked me if I had seen you recently. And every time I answered I did not, she would conclude that you were all right, and she never looked happier."

* * *

Anna was walking between the two guards. She recognised the path they were taking – across the courtyard, and toward the aisle where the guard house was – and the dungeons. She had never liked that place much, and usually avoided it when she explored the castle, which meant she had only been there a few dozens of times.  
It did not matter much now, anyway. Elsa was unconscious, maybe she was really dead. People around her were saying that she was responsible. And Hans… Hans was not at her side either. She tried to smile at one of the guards flanking her, maybe crack a little joke, but she could not muster the spirits for this simple thing.

She was alone again.

* * *

The dignitaries had been walking along a gallery overlooking the courtyard when Hans slowed down, and watched sadly his wife being led away to the other aisle of the building. The Duke of Weselton patted him awkwardly on the arm.

"It's always hard where you realise that you were wrong to trust people" he said. "I was fooled myself by the innocent look of Princess Anna, and I would not have thought, without this overwhelming evidence, that she would attempt to poison me… and her sister."

Hans was about to answer when both men became aware of shocked whispers around them. They turned to discover Queen Elsa walking slowly along the gallery. Doctor Andersen was following her, as if ready to catch her if she collapsed. The queen had almost reached them when she noticed the little group down in the courtyard, and stopped dead in her tracks. She remained there, oblivious to the dignitaries surrounding her, keeping her eyes fixed on her sister flanked by the two guards until they had disappeared.

"Your Majesty!" the duke was shrieking. "We had been told that you had been poisoned! So, the doctor could help you after all?"

Elsa turned slowly to look at the diminutive duke. Something in her eyes made him back away. He shivered as a draught of cold air suddenly swept the gallery.

"My sister is to be released this instant", she ordered in a flat, steely tone.

"But, your Majesty, it seems that your sister was responsible for…"

Elsa drew herself up, ignoring him.

"Send the order at once", she said to Kai, who had joined the group. "Princess Anna is innocent of whatever accusation was made against her."

A wave of dizziness swept over her, and she had to right herself on the wall. As her hand touched the cool stone, Elsa realised that she had left her gloves in her room, and she saw that dreaded layer of frost form on the wall.

_Oh no, not now. Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't…_ Elsa turned to look at the now empty courtyard. _Feel_.

Feel the chasm that had opened under her as the doctor had told her that Anna was accused of trying to kill her. Feel the anger that had just been building inside her as she watched Anna, in her billowing white dress, walk away between those two brutish guards, her steps hesitant and subdued, in stark contrast with the way she always seemed to bounce when moving. Feel the fear that was still in every part of her mind at the idea that someone had not only wanted to kill her, but also to frame Anna for it.

Elsa had lived her life in dread of hurting her sister. It had never occurred to her that the danger could come from somewhere else. She knew the laws of Arendelle: attempting to kill a member of the royal family, even when belonging to the same family, was considered high treason, and punishable by death. Someone had wanted to kill not only her, but Anna as well.

She needed to feel, now. She needed to protect her baby sister. _To save her, not from me, but from something else. Someone else._ She needed to focus on how much she meant to her. On how much she loved her. _Love_.

And then it was easy, so suddenly easy that she wondered how she could have forgotten to do it.

The frost disappeared from the wall.

_Sorry, Father. Conceal, but feel._

Questions and answers were dancing in Elsa's mind, as when she was concentrating on a mathematical problem. _Who would want me dead?_ Weaseltown. This trade agreement would go better for him if Anna was in charge. And he certainly seemed very intent on putting the blame on someone else. _No, that does not make sense. If he wants Anna in charge, it's stupid to frame her._ If he did that, she would be out of the picture as well, and that would leave Hans in charge. _And I'm pretty sure he would be a tougher bargain than Anna. Or maybe even me._

_Hans in charge…_

Elsa tensed, oblivious to the splutters of the dignitaries around her. She felt the questions shift in her mind, as when she explored another possible way of solving a problem. And, with it, came another dreadful feeling… _What have I done?_

Anna had brought the chocolates. Did not she said Hans had picked them up? _Please, no, I only meant that you need to know someone a little more than that..._ With Elsa and Anna dead, the crown of Arendelle would come fall to their husbands… Anna's husband… _She was so sure it was true love… Why did I say yes?_ The evidence against Anna could only have been planted by someone close to her.

_What kind of man marries a woman he just met?_

Elsa felt all the variables of the problem click together as the pieces of a puzzle. Questions and answers followed each other in a sinister cavalcade. There was only one thing lacking...  
_Proof. I need to be sure._

And now she saw the solution. She had found the correct theorem to apply. Now she had to check. How did you test someone?

The ideas were now flowing in her mind. _He wants me dead._ She began organising them, feeling a slight thrill as she saw a scheme take form. _Nobody knows that I have powers. _She concentrated, her eyes still fixed on the empty courtyard, unseeing. _I have to pretend. To conceal._ She knew how to do that only too well.

She had put her sister in danger once more, through her own inaction this time, but it would be the last time. Now she could do something about it.

People were still arguing around her. She composed herself, assuming the inscrutable face that she had practised many times in front of her mirror.

"I want to thank you, Duke, for taking such an interest, however misguided, in the matter."

"You do? Of course you do. But how can you be so sure your sister was not the one who poisoned you?"

"Maybe I was not poisoned, then."

"But the doctor had said you had not been breathing! How would that have been possible? Unless sorcery was afoot!"

_Sorcery. You said it._

"Sorcery… oh no…"

Elsa did her best to look flustered. She turned to Hans, who had been hovering around, smiling with relief. _Or was that a smirk?_

"Prince Hans? Could I talk with you now? In private", she added, looking at the expectant smile of the Duke.

"Of course, Queen Elsa", said her brother in law, obediently.

* * *

Anna was rushing up the stairs as fast as her gown would allow. She had not quite understood what happened, but one thing was clear: the order to release her had come from her sister. Which meant that Elsa was alive and well. She had rushed out of the dungeon where they had been locking her as soon as the envoy had relayed the news. Maybe all of this had been a joke. A very cruel one, but a joke nonetheless. Elsa might still have a sense of humour then, even if her idea of a prank apparently involved sending her sister to prison. Then again, she had also found the sight of the duke busily stomping on Anna's feet during the dance apparently quite amusing.

She found her way blocked by the gathering of guests and dignitaries that had surrounded her in front of her sister's room. The group was missing the two persons most important to her. What it was not missing, though, was the Duke of Weselton, who was running from one person to another, hissing exasperated comments. Everyone went silent as Anna appeared. Finally, one of the dignitaries who had also been present at Elsa's coronation, the thin one with the dark beard and the funny accent and whose name she had never managed to remember, stepped forward.

"Princess Anna" he said. "We apologise for slandering you. Your sister vouched for you and..."

"Yes, yes, yes", cut the Duke of Weselton. "The queen may think you are innocent, but until the real culprit is found, I will keep an eye on you. I was nearly poisoned myself as well!"

"Yes, thank you", said Anna distantly. She attempted to find her best regal tone. "I was precisely wondering where the queen is, actually?"

"She left with your husband, Princess Anna. She said she needed to talk with him", answered the thin dignitary.

"Oh? I will join them, then. Where did they go?"

"Ahem." This was Kai. She had failed to notice him among the crowd of dignitaries. "I'm sorry, your Highness, but Her Majesty has been very precise about this. She insisted she wanted to talk with Prince Hans and him alone."

"Yes. They went through that door over there", said the Duke sourly. "I was not even allowed to participate, while I had been poisoned too!"

Anna frowned. On the one hand, she was glad to see Elsa socialise with someone, and doubly so that this was with her true love and husband. On the other hand, her curiosity was piqued, and she really wanted to know what was going on. If they were setting her up for another of those dubious jokes, she would better be prepared, and even try to turn the tables on them as a payback. Then she looked at the door, and realised it could only lead to the little diplomatic study, the one adorned with tapestries, one of which hid a condemned door no one knew about…

An impish grin spread over Anna's face.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: I hope the doctor does not steal too much of the focus in this chapter. I found interesting to briefly see how a scientific mind would react when encountering Elsa's powers.

I want to thank everyone who wrote a review so far. I had not realised until now how uplifting it could be to learn that your work is appreciated. Thank you all!


	6. You are no match for Elsa

Elsa had remained silent as she led the way inside the study, carefully closing the doors behind them, and took a seat behind the lacquered table. The prince sat in front of her at her invite, looking expectantly. She remained lost in thought for a moment, her face inscrutable, while he waited patiently. Finally she sighed and looked up at her brother in law.

"There is something I need to tell you, Hans. It is a family secret, of which not even Anna was aware. There is… a curse, on our family. On me."

"A curse, your Majesty?"

"Yes. I was cursed when I was but a baby, by an evil witch. My parents told me about it. I know it sounds unbelievable, but it is true."

"Cursed you said? What would this curse do, Your Majesty?"

"It is an ice curse. When some… conditions are met, I become...ice." Elsa looked as if she was searching for the right words. "I become cold as ice, my heart stops… as if I was dead. This is what happened today, and it has nothing to do with this ridiculous story of poison the duke invented. It happened to me before."

Elsa sighed and bit her lip, as if thinking of something, visibly upset. Hans waited respectfully.

"This is how I know this curse is real", she resumed finally. "It happens sometimes when I don't expect it, and I become frozen like I was found earlier. Sometimes I wake up mere minutes later, sometimes days…"

"This must be terrible" said Hans compassionately.

"This is not the worst, actually. This is just a reminder. The real curse is that one day… I will not wake up. My skin, my whole body, will become ice. I will turn into an ice statue… forever." Elsa bowed her head down.

"And there is nothing to be done?"

"There is a very slim chance to break the curse. I had lost it when... my father... died. Now that you are here, I have a chance to lift it again, if the right conditions are met." Elsa looked at Hans with pleading, expectant eyes.

"I will do everything in my power to help, of course… What should I do?"

Elsa was now speaking slowly, as if searching words buried deep in her memory.

"It can only be done when the final curse takes hold, not before, not after. As this happen... a male member of my family must be present," Elsa hesitated "... and speak the word… _ævi_, in the old tongue... three times. Now that you have married my sister, you are a member of my family, and I hope this would work if you did it" she added, looking at him expectantly.

"I would have to be present and speak this word? And the curse would be lifted?"

"Yes. This would save me. Of course this would require you to be present at the exact…" Elsa stopped and looked at her hands. "Oh no!" she said, her face a mask of terror.

"What is it, your Majesty?"

Elsa raised her hands. There was a thin layer of ice forming on her fingers. Hans' eyes widened.

"Is this another freezing spell?"

"No, I fear this… I fear this is the final curse taking hold." Elsa was looking at her hands in horror.

"So… this curse is real", muttered Hans, watching with awe the ice that was now progressing along her arms.

"Please, Hans, this is the final curse enacting. I am incredibly lucky to have you there now. You can save me. Please, simply say _ævi_, three times."

Elsa looked at Hans desperately. The ice was now spreading to her body, covering her clothes in a white crust.

"So… if I speak this word, I will save you? And if I don't…"

"That would be the end of me, and no one could do anything about it. Those were the words of the witch. Please, Hans, I beg you…"

For a few seconds, only the soft creaking of the ice could be heard. Then, the silence was broken by a soft chuckle.

"Oh my dear Elsa... If only I had known this before…"

"What do you mean, Hans? Please, there is almost no time left", she added, as ice was now spreading to her feet and rising up her neck.

Hans leaned closer, smiling.

"If only I had known of this curse, I would never have bothered to send you this box of chocolates."

Elsa gasped. Some ice inexplicably spread from her fingers to the table. Hans leaned back, sprawling comfortably in his chair.

"All this trouble, retrieving this useful ingredient from the good doctor, then having your sister deliver you the box of chocolates that I chose… and this stupid duke who had to eat one of them. It was lucky I had made sure your sister did the delivery, really."

The ice was now covering Elsa's cheeks. She was still looking at him with horror.

"Please, Hans… the curse is almost complete… Please save me… If not for me, do it for the love of my sister…"

Hans smirked. "You were not paying attention, did you? I don't love your sister. I love your throne. Anna was a convenient way to get to it, and to take the suspicions away from me. Maybe she could fulfil that role again should the need arise" he added thoughtfully. "I would only have to explain that she used magic this time…"

Ice engulfed Elsa's mouth, spread over her eyes and closed on her head with a sinister creaking sound. Hans bowed respectfully.

"I am sorry for your demise, your Majesty", he said gravely. "If there had been anything I could have done to help you, believe me, I would gladly have…"

Hans stopped as a loud thump echoed in the room. He turned to the door. It was still closed. The sound was not coming from there. Another loud thump. This time he noticed one of the tapestries adorning the room shaking slightly, as he became aware of a muffled shout accompanying the thumps. He frowned as he thought he recognised the voice, and the name that it was shouting.

Hans stood up and walked slowly to the wall, examining the old tapestry. He reached out to touch it, just as another violent thump shook it.

The tapestry ripped from its support, falling over him before he could react. With a loud creaking of wood, a door that had been hidden behind flew open and Anna rushed into the room.

"Elsa!"

Anna almost crashed into the table.

"Elsa… no!"

Anna reached out to the block of ice that her sister had become.

"Please, Elsa… no… don't be dead, please Elsa…"

She caressed the ice covering the head of her sister. She thought she could dimly distinguish her face under the shiny surface, with her deep eyes wide open in what seemed like an expression of horror. Unless what she was seeing was her own distorted reflection.

"Please, Elsa… Why did you never tell me… Elsa… I can save you… I can imitate a man's voice… I can…"

Her voice broke. She felt tears well up in her eyes. She had been able to cling to hope, and rightly so, when her sister had only been laying unmoving on her bed, but this horrible lump of ice left little place for any kind of hope.

A sound made her turn her head. Hans was extricating himself from under the tapestry. Forcing the tears back, she turned to him.

"Why did you not help her?" she shouted.

Hans peered into the corridor behind the door from which Anna had burst before closing it carefully, keeping his back to her. Anna walked to him.

"What were you saying about the chocolates? Why did you… why did you not do what she asked? You could have saved her!"

"I am sorry, Anna" said Hans softly.

He turned away and slowly walked toward the main door. Anna went after him.

"Why did you say all of this? What was that about not loving me? Why did you let my sister die?"

Hans stopped in front of one of the crests adorning the room, and extracted one of the swords from the display.

"I am really sorry, Anna. I tried to save your sister, I really did."

"What? You did not! You did not say the word she asked for! Be careful", she added, her caring nature overriding her anger for a second, "these swords are sharp!"

"The witch came through a hidden door as I was talking with the queen", continued Hans as if not listening to her. He made a few moves with the sword, the sharpened blade slicing the air with a whooshing sound.

"Wait, what? What witch?"

"It broke my heart to discover who it was. I could not prevent her to curse the queen. I will always blame myself for not being able to save her. But I never suspected the witch was the queen's own sister", he said, sadly.

"What are you talking about? I am Elsa's only sister!"

Hans suddenly turned to Anna, the sword firmly in his hand.

"Yes. You are. Thankfully I could still prevent the witch to do any more harm. It was the hardest thing I had to do in my life."

Hans spun around as he swung the sword. The blade whizzed in the air, drawing a long arc that connected with the neck of his wife.

Anna blinked.

There was a sudden rush of cold air.

A yelp of surprise.

And the sound of the sword clattering on the floor.

"You are wrong, Hans."

Anna gasped at the sound of that voice. She knew it, loved it, cherished what it meant to hear it again, no matter how impossible that was… but there was a new edge to it. Something she had never heard before…

"Anna is not a witch."

Anna turned to watch Elsa slowly standing up. The ice was receding from her face and her hands, sticking only to her clothes, not so much melting as simply disappearing into thin air.  
_Anger. Fury. Hatred. I have never heard Elsa sound like that._

"I am."

Elsa extended an arm. A silvery blue streak flew from her fingers and hit the floor at Hans' feet. Ice spikes erupted on the floor and rose toward him. The prince jerked backward and flattened himself against the wall.

"And my power is not a curse."

Elsa walked around the table, her arm raised, the icy stream still flowing from her fingers with a soft rustling sound. Anna could only watch, dazed, as if everything was happening far away. Reality had become too incredible, horrible and marvellous at the same time. She vaguely wondered if she was not dreaming. One of those nonsensical, scary nightmares, from which she would wake up to the loving embrace of her sister or her mother...

"I feared all my life it would hurt those I love."

The ice spikes had reached Hans and were now pinning him on the wall. Elsa was walking slowly toward him, her beautiful face contorted into a mask of pure hatred. Anna dimly noticed that the ice was not simply clinging to her clothes, it had somehow become her clothes, forming an impossible light blue gown with a rather daring slit skirt. Even her shoes seemed to be made of ice now.

"I never realised it could protect them."

Elsa flicked her fingers. Another spike rose from the block of ice, extending slowly toward Hans' neck. The prince tried to talk, flattening himself further against the wall, attempting to delay the inevitable. The queen's expression hardened, as the other spikes holding him in place grew further, piercing his clothes and the tapestry behind them, burrowing into the wall with a creaking sound.

"And I will never let anyone harm my sister."

Only the soft whistling of Elsa's power and Hans' terrified gasps could be heard in the room. She kept watching him with unforgiving eyes as more little spikes grew to keep him in place, while the larger one still extended implacably, a glinting spear aimed at his throat.

There was a soft sigh behind her. It was halfway between a sob and the whisper of a very quiet "No". Elsa looked at Anna over her shoulder, her hand still spraying the fine blue mist. Her sister was standing very still, her eyes shining with tears.

"He does not love you, Anna", she said, her voice almost hoarse with fury. "He framed you. He wanted to murder you."

"Yes", answered Anna, her strangled voice barely audible. "He's not you."

The queen drew a deep breath as she turned back to Hans, her face softening. She slowly closed her fist. The spike stopped, a fraction of an inch from his Adam apple. The prince breathed a cautious sigh of relief. Elsa kept her eyes thoughtfully fixed on him for a while. Then she flicked her hand. A wad of snow suddenly appeared above his head and poured over him. She watched contentedly the snow pile up, engulfing him, not stopping until only his hands were left sticking out.

Elsa exhaled slowly. Then she turned around toward Anna, just in time to see her sister begin to sob quietly.

* * *

Anna had watched the scene unfold, her vision blurred with tears. She wanted to laugh, to cry, to run to her sister and hug her, to run to Hans and hit him with all her strength… but the tears won. There had been too much happening today, too much surprise, too much hurt. She was trying to keep her countenance, to give the valiant smile she always showed to the world and to herself, but she could not keep the tears back any more. She bowed her head as silent little sobs shook her shoulders.

Then she felt arms gently close around her. Elsa's arms. She quivered as she recognised the tender, reassuring embrace. This was how her sister used to hold her years ago when she had woken up from a nightmare, with one arm wrapping around her and a hand caressing her head, while she whispered comforting, kind words in her ear.

"I'm here for you now, little sister. I won't let anyone harm you. Not even me. Not any more. I swear."

Anna returned the hug, holding her sister tightly against her. She wanted to speak, but the tears she had been containing for so long were finally forcing their way out. A huge sob racked her body, followed by others she could not try to stop any more. She cried in her sister's arms, over those years of loneliness where she had been desperately trying to convince herself that she was having fun in front of that closed door, over the hole that had opened under her feet when she had been told that her parents would not return, over the day when she had been standing alone in front of these two imposing stones along with the silent crowd, over the terrible feeling of betrayal she had felt minutes ago as she was listening through that door in the little musty corridor, feeling her life unravel around her…

And all this time, Elsa's arms remained tightly around her, while the soft voice of her sister, breaking up a bit, whispered kindly that she was there, that everything was going to be all right, that she was sorry. Of what, Anna had no idea, as she was the one who should be sorry, but it felt good to hear. Everything felt good to hear. She let the soothing words wash over her with abandon and delight.

Finally, she managed to speak through her sobs.

"Elsa you're… you're not a block of ice!" she blurted, feeling stupid at hearing herself.

Elsa laughed, and Anna laughed through her tears.

"And you can do magic. That is so great!"

Her spirit was returning. Words were now fighting their way out of her mouth, all her ideas and feelings trying to pour all at once.

"I should have listened to you. I'm sorry I shouted at you. You saved my life! You were not cursed by a witch! You are alive! Your dress is awesome!"

Both of them were laughing now. Anna realised it was the first time in years since she had heard her sister laugh, really laugh, happily and without restraint. She stood back to look at her, before embracing her again, delighted to feel her sister hug her back.

"I am sorry that you heard all this, little sister", whispered Elsa. "I am sorry that you thought I died. I did not want to hurt you again."

Anna answered by strengthening her hug. It went on for a long time, but she had a lot of catching up to do.

* * *

There was a respectful knocking at the door.

"Your Majesty? Is everything all right? We heard shouting and…"

"Yes, you can come in now", said Elsa, gently breaking the embrace with her sister to turn to the door.

Kai cautiously opened. Elsa could see the crowd of dignitaries and guests behind him milling about at a respectful distance of the study entrance. They all glanced at the opening door and she saw the surprise register on their faces as she remembered too late. _My dress. Stupid!_

She had not even realised she was doing it at the time. She had been focused on delivering his comeuppance to Hans, only concentrating enough on dissipating the ice she had created around herself to be able to move freely. Creating the ice gown had come naturally, as if the regal dress she had been wearing had been another hindrance to her freedom of movement.

Now the guests were probably wondering how the queen had been able to change her clothes so quickly, and in the presence of her sister's husband as well. Then she cursed herself again as she remembered that Hans was still buried under a pile of snow that had magically appeared out of nowhere. _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!_

She had been so eager to spread the word of Hans' treachery, to face the crowd with her sister at her side. She had vaguely thought at some point that she would quickly dissipate the snow around him before opening the door, but the idea had completely escaped her mind when she had ordered Kai to open. Now it was too late to do anything. Her miniature avalanche could be easily seen from the door.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did I ask them to open so quickly?_

She had been too busy savouring her first human contact in years to remember about concealing. It was too late to go back now. She could only hope that etiquette would prevent the guests from asking direct questions. She straightened up.

"Please, come in, all of you", she ordered.

The crowd slowly poured inside the study, casting bewildered looks at the incongruous lump of snow against the wall from under which someone was apparently trying to emerge. She waited until the room was almost half full of people, then took a deep breath.

"I charge Prince Hans with high treason" Elsa announced. "He was the one who attempted to poison me, and frame Princess Anna for it, before trying to murder her, using that sword over there." She glanced at her sister before resuming. "I sentence him to exile, and demand his marriage to Princess Anna to be annulled."

The shocked silence was broken by Hans. Coughing and spluttering, he had finally managed to extricate his head and arms from the pile of snow, tearing the sleeves of his suit in the process.

"She's a witch", he blurted out. "The queen is a witch, she has magical powers. She will curse this land! She will curse everyone if you leave her in charge!"

"NO!"

The indignant shout made everyone jump, even Elsa.

"You will not insult my sister! She would never hurt innocent people!"

Anna strode furiously toward the mount of snow.

"She always wanted to protect people! She never tried to kill anyone! She does not lie when she says she loves someone!"

Anna seemed to hesitate for a second, her arms flailing in anger. Finally she grabbed some snow from the pile, and rapidly formed a ball in her hands.

"And she would never spoil delicious chocolates with a horrible poison!"

Anna threw the snowball. The point blank throw hit Hans squarely between the eyes, half stunning him and spreading snow all over his face.

Elsa suddenly found it very hard not to laugh at the spectacle, but she managed to keep her composure. Then her seriousness quickly returned as she realised Hans was still trying to talk, to shout something about her powers. Anna was busily preparing another snowball.

She glanced over the group of guests, who appeared almost as stunned as if they had been the target of Anna's projectile. But some of them wore doubtful expressions, and she could hear some whispers exchanged at the back of the group.

_Conceal, don't feel._

She looked at her sister, still trembling with indignation and anger, who had just pelleted Hans with another snowball and was now menacing him with a third, or possibly her fist.

_Conceal, but feel._

She shifted her gaze to the prince.

_I concealed to unmask him._

Her eye caught the sword on the floor.

_But I hurt Anna again._

She remembered the resounding creaking of wood she had heard through her carapace of ice, and the horror she had felt when she had seen who else she had convinced of her fake curse.

_Maybe I don't have to conceal all the time either._

She thought of Anna sobbing in her arms. Her sister had tried many subterfuges to entice her out of her room over the years, but crying had never been part of her schemes. She wondered for how long she had held these tears back.

"_And you can do magic! That is so great!"_

She gazed once again at the hushed guests, at her furious sister and the cowed prince.

_I am sorry, Father. But you were wrong. We were both wrong._

Elsa drew herself to her full height, and felt her icy heels obediently lengthen by an inch.

"It is true", she announced in the firmest voice she could muster. "I have magical powers."

She made a complicated gesture. The ice and snow placating Hans disappeared, becoming a swirl of snowflakes and ice crystals that surrounded him, and threw him at the feet of the guests, who gasped in unison.

"As the Queen of Arendelle, it is my sacred duty to ensure the well-being of my people", she added. Another gesture. Ice restraints formed on Hans' arms and legs. "And I swear to do so to the best of my capacities, for as long as I live."

There was a short stunned silence, which was broken by Kai.

"Long live Queen Elsa!"

He was immediately followed by the Arendellian guests, then by the foreign dignitaries. The Duke of Weselton was the last to join. Elsa bowed graciously in response.

There was another silence as the shouts calmed down. Then one of the dignitaries stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"I can take care of returning this… man to his country, Your Majesty, if you will", he said.

"Thank you, Milord", said Elsa. "Thank you all." She nodded as regally as she could.

Kai summoned a few guards who grabbed Hans and carried him away. The group of guests slowly exited, deferentially saluting the queen and her sister. The door slammed behind them.

Elsa breathed a sigh of relief. Anna was still standing where Hans has been, her breath still quick. The queen walked slowly to her. She looked at her sister, still in her wedding gown, now dirtied and torn in places, and was reminded on how they would play dress-up when they were younger, and how Anna's dresses would always end up suffering some indignity or other, more often than not chocolate-related.

"Hey little sister", she finally said softly. "You look beautiful."

Anna looked up and smiled. "Thank you. You look beautifuller once again."

Elsa timidly held out her hand. Anna seized it and clasped it tightly as she did when they were running together down the stairs to play in the Great Hall.

On a whim, Elsa leaned forward and gently planted a kiss on her sister's forehead. Anna closed her eyes as she felt the soft touch and exhaled slowly. She recognised this kiss, too. It was Mama's kiss, the kiss her mother used to give her when she had heard her crying alone in her room and had come to comfort her. It meant that she was not alone against her fears and her pains.

Elsa had not felt the kiss nor the touch of her mother for a long time. But in this moment, she felt closer to her than she ever did.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Having to write this chapter (and the next) was my main motivation for writing this fanfic. I hope it is as much fun to read as it was to write.  
I did have to rewrite an important part at the last moment however, as I realised during proofreading that Elsa was far too quick to admit she had powers in my original version.

I hope Elsa's little kiss at the end does not feel too Elsanna-ish, as that's absolutely not what I am aiming for here. I know the sisters only share hugs in the film, but I really wanted little Anna to receive some additional family love.

And now there is only one chapter left...


	7. We can fix this hand in hand

Elsa was working in her room, carefully wording a letter to the Duke of Weselton explaining that slandering a member of the royal family, entering her room unauthorised and ordering her arrested on tenuous grounds was a serious offence, which could lead a less patient ruler to terminate all trading between their two states. She was gleefully enjoying the channelling toward diplomatic purposes of the anger she still felt over his accusations against Anna, and could not stop a crooked smile from spreading on her lips as she reached the part explaining that she, of course, knew better, and was quite ready to sign the new trade agreement that _she_ was proposing, unless the Duke wanted to test her patience and discuss _her_ terms again.

She was half seriously wondering whether she could get away with "accidentally" writing his name as Weaseltown when someone knocked on her door. For the first time in thirteen years, she smiled as she recognised the three hesitant knocks. And for the first time in thirteen years, she answered them.

"Come in!"

The door did not budge.

"Come in, Anna!" she called.

Her sister slowly opened the door, smiling shyly.

"I hope I, uh, am not disturbing you."

Elsa turned to her sister, her face serious.

"There is are two important rules I want you to learn and remember now, Anna", she said with mock severity.

Anna froze in place, her smile fading a little.

"The first rule is that you will never need to knock on my door when you want to see me" said Elsa, trying her best to keep her serious tone while looking at her sister's slowly returning grin. "And the second is that you do not disturb me and you never will." Anna's smile was now wider than ever.

"You were working, though", she said, showing the letter Elsa had been writing and the various other papers neatly stacked on her desk.

"This can wait" she said firmly. "In fact, I have been working all morning and I could use a break" she added, smiling.

"Maybe I could help you sometimes", said Anna timidly. "What are all those papers?"

"Trade agreements and treaties", Elsa sighed. "Many of the foreign dignitaries were here as much for establishing or renewing diplomatic ties as for attending the coronation or your wed…" She bit her lip. _Way to go, Elsa. _"And they have been even more eager for these now that they know I have powers" she added hastily. She desperately racked her brain for an idea to move the subject further away. The last item she had added to her list of things to do popped in her mind. "Oh, and the ice harvesters are concerned for their business, apparently." She giggled, a bit forcefully. "They say they will designate envoys for negociating a possible regulation to the price of ice. Hey, you could take care of that if you want."

"It's OK, Elsa" said her sister softly. There was a silence, that Anna finally broke hesitantly.

"I have been talking with the bishop. He said there won't be any problems for annulling the marriage, given the charges against Hans, and since it had not been… there was no… well, you know…"

Anna blushed, and her sister looked intently at her desk. Elsa had realised that she still occasionally saw Anna as the chubby little girl who came jumping on her bed when the sky was alight, and there are some subjects you did not want to associate in your mind with your baby sister, even more so when Hans was involved.

Then Anna went on, more playfully. "But I can try to meet these ice harvesters. I hope I won't make a mess of it."

"I'm sure you will do just fine." Elsa reached for one of her papers and scribbled a note on it. "Oh, I also have to issue a formal thanks to Doctor Andersen for his help", she added, reading the previous notes on her neatly organised list.

"Hey, I bumped into him this morning. I mean… I met him, I did not actually bump into him, not this time… He was very enthusiastic about that thing you did when you were poisoned and everybody thought you were… dead. Err… he said you may have been in some kind of deep hibernation, like some animals do, only with more cold. He said he wished he could do some additional research on this in one of the big universities abroad... Say, we could offer him this trip some day! Maybe next summer?"

"Great idea", said Elsa, scribbling another note. "People seldom get sick during summer, we should not need him too much then."

"Oh, and I brought you this", said Anna, producing a little box of chocolates. "I ate them to check that they were not poisoned. I mean, I did not eat those that are in the box, because then there would not be any left and that would be stupid to have wrapped an empty box, but…"

"Thank you, Anna." Elsa looked at her sister. "But I won't enjoy them if we don't share."

Elsa unwrapped the box, and both sisters reached in it at the same time and picked up a sweet. Then there was only the sound of little teeth chewing on chocolate, the occasional crunch of a nut, and contented sighs.

"Thank you, Anna. They are delicious" said Elsa, eventually. The box had been emptied of a good half of its content.

Anna grinned. "We will have those every time there is a party at the palace. We will have other parties, right?" she added hopefully.

Elsa smiled. "I don't see why not."

"That's so great!" Anna squealed. She began pacing the room back and forth, babbling excitedly. "We will have other parties! And you will still wear this ice dress you have? It's so beautiful! Oh, and I thought, maybe, if you want, you could use your powers, sometimes, to liven them up? Like making some snow fall in the ballroom for instance? Or creating an ice skating rink in the courtyard? So the guests could dance and skate. I don't know how to skate. I would have to learn how to skate. Did we skate when we were younger? Did you… did you already have your powers when we played together?"

Elsa bowed her head down. "Yes" she said sadly.

"Oh. Too bad I don't remember it. It must have been so fun!"

Elsa was looking at her desk without seeing it. "_Catch me!"_ shouted little Anna in her memory.

"Elsa?" Anna's voice had suddenly become serious. _Please, don't ask me that, Anna._

"Yes?"

"Why did you… close the door? Was it because of your powers?"

Elsa closed her eyes. "Yes" she whispered. "I was afraid to hurt you."

She felt her sister's hand on her arm, squeezing it.

"So… you remained in your room all this time… for me? You sacrificed your whole life so that you would not risk to hurt me?"

"I did not want anyone I love to get hurt because of me", whispered Elsa. "I never wanted to hurt anyone."

Anna reached down and silently hugged her sister.

"I'm sorry" she said, standing up, with her hand still resting on Elsa's shoulder. "I know you would never have hurt me. Hey, you never hurt me when we were little, and you say you already had your powers, even if I don't remember it."

Elsa kept her head bowed, not daring to look at her sister. She noticed a small patch of frost forming on the desk where her fingers were resting. She concentrated. The patch remained there and grew a little. She lifted her hand from the desk.

"I hurt you, once" she said eventually, her voice barely audible.

"Oh, it must not have been very serious, then", said Anna happily. "I don't remember it at all! You know, I hurt myself all the time when I played in the castle! I even sported a cast for one month after I fell from the handrail in the great stairs!"

With growing horror, Elsa noticed that the patch of frost was still expanding on her desk. _No, I can control it, now, please, I know how to stop that, Anna is here, I must not lose control._

"Is it me, or is it cold in here all of a sudden?" Anna asked in her chirpy tone. She stopped. "Elsa, is that you?" she asked, her voice concerned and awed at the same time.

Elsa was now keeping her hands firmly closed against one another. She felt it again, this dread about to engulf her, this terrible feeling of helplessness as her powers threatened to escape her control. _I did control it! What did I do to control it? Where are my gloves? I have to ask Anna to leave, it will be dangerous for her, it will start all over again..._

"Elsa? Is something wrong? Talk to me, please! I'm here! I'm right here for you, Elsa!"

The frost was now covering most of Elsa's desk and was beginning to spread to her stack of papers and the letter to the duke.

_How did I do this? I thought about Anna. She needs to leave now, I will hurt her! Conceal..._

"Elsa! What is happening? Was it something I said? Please tell me! Don't shut me out again, please! We can do this together!"

… _but not all the time. She's right. I am hiding behind a closed door again._

This was it. Elsa felt calm return to her, and saw the ice disappear slowly. _With Anna, I don't need to conceal at all_. She willed herself to look up at her sister, at her trusting eyes and her hopeful smile. She kept looking at her as she was forcing the words out of her own mouth, one at a time.

"I hurt you once, Anna, when we were little. Really hurt. By accident. Struck in the head. With my powers. You were not moving."

_This is Anna now. She is all right. She is full of life. The past is the past. Look at her now. Remember her how she is now._

"The trolls in the mountain. They healed you. But you had to forget. My powers. That was how they healed. You."

_Look at her. She's here for you. Don't ignore her again. This is how you control your powers. Look at her… no, not at her hair. Don't look at her hair!_

Elsa felt the ice tingling in her fingers again as she could not keep her eyes from the white stripe in her sister's hair. _Don't close the door!_

"Your stripe. I did this. It was this day." She reached out to touch her sister's hair and stopped. _Ice_.

Anna was still smiling warmly, lovingly. "So everything turned all right in the end, then. I'm sorry I forgot about your powers!" She looked at her reflection in Elsa's mirror. "I thought I was born with this. Well, except when I had that dream with the troll." She turned back to her sister. "You know, I like it."

_Ice. There is ice there. My ice._

Elsa stood up slowly, her eyes fixed on Anna's hair.

"Anna?"

She reached out, laid her fingers on the white stripe, following it to its roots. _Ice. Here. I can feel it. I can…._

"Anna… I… I think I can… fix it. Can I… try? Do you trust me?"

Anna smiled. "Of course. I'll always trust you now, Elsa."

Elsa planted her finger on her sister's head, smiling back. She concentrated. _Feel, don't conceal. I love you, little sister.  
_There was a soft tinkling sound. Anna winced.

"Anna? Are you all right?"

"Yes, yes, I am OK", said Anna hurriedly, appalled at how quickly the look of anguish had appeared on Elsa's face. "I just felt… strange", she added, rubbing her head.

She looked at her sister. Elsa was suddenly beaming.

"Anna! Your hair!"

Anna turned to the mirror and gasped. The stripe she had always seen in her own hair had now disappeared as if it had never been there. She moved closer to the mirror.

"My stripe… You fixed it!" She laughed. "So, this happened when we played as kids? When we played in the snow in summer… I mean, winter… in the Great Hall… I mean, the courtyard… wait, what?"

Anna felt dizzy. Recollections danced in her head. Elsa making whooshing noises while pretending to do magic to make her laugh… while snow was falling in the room. _No, wait, I imagined that. I must have._ They played outside during the winter, at the feet of the big staircase in the Great Hall… no, the courtyard, it was the courtyard, full of snow, while the summer sun burned above them… no, no, that was wrong...

Anna passed her hand on her face. Her memories were sizzling like this sparkling wine at the party. She remembered this dream. That terrible dread which sometimes woke her up, frightened by something that she had been about to witness. She was able to gaze in the face of it now... and there was nothing.

"I remember" she said faintly. She turned to her sister, smiling. "I think I remember. When we played and you had your powers… It's very fuzzy, but I remember some of it now. Oh, we had even more fun than I thought we had before!"

Elsa reached and hugged her sister tightly. She felt her own heart pound with joy, exhilarated beyond words. She broke the embrace and danced in her room. She felt as if she could do anything now. On an impulse, she reached into her hair and untied her bun, letting her braid flow in her back.

Anna was laughing. Elsa swirled around, feeling her power fill her, ready to obey her every whims. She conjured little flowers of ice that danced in the air before evaporating, delighted to hear her sister applaud with childish joy. There seemed to be no limit to what her power allowed her to do now.

Maybe it was time to use it to fix another of her many mistakes. She realised only now that it was possibly the one that had hurt her sister the most, even more than when she had struck her with her powers on that fateful day. It was a mistake that had lasted for thirteen years, and which would take maybe just as long to fix in full.

Elsa slowly turned to her sister, smiling.

"Anna, do you want to build a snowman?"

* * *

**Author's Notes**: We all know what (or more precisely who) will happen next...

I know that Anna recovering her memories is probably not supposed to happen that way, but I really wanted to write this talk about Anna's accident (it's one scene I would have loved to see in the film), and I could not resist adding this bit.

I am sorry for not having been able to include Kristoff here. He was there in my first drafts, where the story spanned over a much longer period, but I decided to compress it as it felt too ambitious for my first fic, and Kristoff was the main victim of that compression. Every attempt to keep him in the story as it was felt shoehorned and artificial.  
Maybe at some point I will rewrite this to restore something closer the original time-line and bring him back.  
As this is now, well, Anna _will_ have to meet some ice harvesters...

And now the story is complete. I hope you liked reading this as much as I did writing it.  
It took roughly two months of my spare time, which I don't regret at all.  
I may come back to Frozen (I have a few other ideas) but I don't want to promise anything for now.

I want to thank once again everyone who wrote a review, or favourited or followed this story. This has been incredibly encouraging and uplifting. And thanks to everybody who read up to here (or who simply jumped to the last page of the story to read the author's notes :p ).  
And finally, thanks to the people at Disney for giving us these two adorable sisters!


End file.
